The Fountain of Time
by Germantownmaiden
Summary: Anzu Mazaki and her sisters, Kisara and Mana, want to be normal. Have one high school, some friends to actually keep, and maybe a boyfriend but when you have a mother who likes to travel in search for new things, it's hard to be normal. While in Egypt they find this really cool fountain that's supposed to send you back in time. They don't believe in the legend. Big Mistake.
1. The Find

Hi everyone. (Yeah, I'm alive.) Sorry I haven't been around lately. I got pulled into some serious family problems that I had to deal with and it's not a very good situation. So, almost everyone should know my former goal was to complete all my stories.

I gave that up.

One of my friends who shares the same love for writing found out what I was doing and she hit me and told me to stop hurting myself. While trying to finish my stories plot bunnies and story bunnies kept popping up out of no where but I told myself I had to finish and it just kept getting worse until finally, I let it go. I had no idea I was going insane until I finally wrote this. (Afterwards I felt lots better.) So, yeah, I'm still going to update my stories as fast as I can, but I'm never stopping my idea flow again. (Seriously, never do that. It's painful.)

This story came from a dream and then waking up to see a water fountain in my ceiling. (It's amazing what you can see up there sometimes.) It hit me and my fingers itched to type, so I typed.

_Anzu Mazaki and her adopted sisters, Mana and Kisara, want to live a pretty normal life. Have one high school, some friends they wouldn't be leaving suddenly in five or two months tops, and maybe, just maybe, a boyfriend but when you have a mother who likes to travel around the world searching for new discoveries it's hard to be normal. So when they go off to Egypt Anzu isn't really in the mood for adventure._

_But then their mother discovers a fabled fountain said to take people to a different time where they are thought to be needed. For once, something has their attention, but when they go to prove that it's just a fountain with a weird doorway to no where they find out that the power of the fountain is all too real and it's done exactly what it's supposed to do. Send one back in time._

Hope you guys like it!

Disclaimer, I own nothing!

* * *

The Fountain of Time

Chapter 1

Egypt sucked.

Pretty place with all the sand that looked like gold and stuff but that was kind of it for her. Now if the sand were truly gold, then she wouldn't have had a problem coming here but that wasn't the case. Anzu Mazaki was a typical seventeen year old teenager, or, as typical as she could get. When you had a Mother who loved and lived to discover and had a thing of taking in things off the street one tended to have a rather odd, but eventful life.

Linda Mazaki was a single mom, divorced from Anzu's father who ran off never to be seen again. Long blond hair and pretty blue eyes, she looked to be the typical cheerleader with the exception of a huge brain and a legit fighting spirit. Anzu couldn't count the number of programs she went into with her mom over the years. Karate, sword play, boxing, self defense classes not to mention a few self taught lessons with a metal baseball bat, at first they were all kind of annoying but heck, when it came to bullies, it was a serious confidence booster to know that you could do fancy move, have them on their backs on the ground and be on your way to class.

Anzu had a few things in common with her mother. The blue eyes and sort of pale skin with a tall but feminine body frame with an excellent sized chest that went along well with her perfectly sculpted hips that weren't too big or too small. She had her father's brown hair, or so she was told anyway. Unlike her mother, who liked to keep her hair long, Anzu always had it shoulder length, long enough to protect her neck from the sun but short enough so it wouldn't case her to over heat.

"Scorpion!" a yell went up, making Anzu pause in her sketching as her sister's terrified but angry voice filled the air. Mana was actually a local that Linda had found on her last trip to Egypt ten years ago when Anzu was just seven. Mana was sixteen now but she still acted like an utter child, it was something that Anzu appreciated. How could you ever be sad around Mana for long?

Mana had dark brown hair and slipped past her shoulders, her skin a beautiful light golden-y milk chocolate. Her eyes were a pretty dark emerald green that always seemed to sparkle. She was on the short side but just a few more years and she would get close to being five foot five. Anzu watched as her sister ran to a tent and came back with a cast iron pan.

Oh dear.

She raised it over her head and rushed into her tent with a battle cry. Anzu continued to watch as her tent started to shake . . . a lot. "Die you evil thing!" she screamed as the sound of a heavy pan just kept hitting . . . stuff. A second later a small scorpion came scuttling out. Anzu could have sworn it looked panicked and terrified. It paused and turned to her. Anzu pointed with her pencil at the still thrashing tent.

"Do you really want to stick around?" she asked the creature. The scorpion seemed to understand her perfectly. It jumped, maybe, and scuttled off faster out into the desert, probably to warn his buddies to not go near the tents. A small giggle from behind alerted Anzu, and judging by how it sounded, it could only be her other sister, Kisara.

Anzu turned to look over her shoulder and grinned. Kisara was probably the exotic one in the family with very pale skin, pale bright blue eyes, and long white hair. The doctors explained she wasn't an albino, so it probably was just a combination of odd genes. It didn't matter how strange she looked, for a newly seventeen year old, she looked good. "How is it that nothing wants to hurt you here?" she laughed softly.

Anzu shrugged. "I think it's pretty simple. They all meet Mana first." Kisara laughed and sat Indian style beside her. "Any word from the dictator?"

"No, but I did hear about a strange commotion going on so she probably found something."

"I hope so. I know Mana feels at home here but seriously, it's hot." Anzu sniffed, glaring at the sand below her feet. Kisara sighed.

"I know, but Mom said we have to be here."

Anzu growled. "I love going on trips. Not many my age gets to go where I've gone but seriously, I need a freaking life outside of this one."

"What's this about life?" Mana asked, walking over to her other sisters to join them.

"Did you get the scorpion?"

"It'll never come back." Mana grinned. Anzu had to agree, it would never come back and that was for its safety.

"Anyway, we were discussing about actually having a home and one school to go to with some friends that you won't leave in a matter of four to five months." Anzu pointed out bitterly. Mana paused for a second as if in thought, and she probably was.

"It sounds really nice." She said softly. The fell silent, thinking about the would haves, could haves, and should haves of their lives when Linda Mazaki came rolling up in one of her special cart things.

"Girls!" she cried out, practically bouncing with energy. "You have to come see this!" she practically screamed. The teens scrambled to their feet and got onto the cart and held on for dear life as their mother drove them to her find. Anzu watched out into the distance, there, she could see the tipy top of one of the great pyramids.

Why couldn't they explore there?

"Here we are!" her mother squealed and put the cart in break before running off in a direction. The three girls ran after their mother, knowing that whatever it was it had to be something big. Anzu stopped when her mother spun around and held out her arms as if to try and encompass what she was showing them.

"A fountain?" Anzu asked in pure disbelief. _This_ is what her mother was so excited about? _A fountain_?!

Linda caught the tone of her daughter's voice and tisked. "Not just any fountain, but the fabled Fountain of Time."

"I hope there's a story to it." Anzu said.

"Oh but of course there's one." Linda laughed. "Back when it was first built a strange person built and blessed the fountain. The people enjoyed its beauty as they had seen nothing like it before. But when it became the dry season the people discovered something strange, come here." She waved them over. Anzu walked to the edge and to her shock there was stairs going down to a doorway.

"No way!" Anzu gasped and rushed down with Kisara and Mana not far behind. Anzu decided that maybe she would finally have her adventure like those in the movies but when she came to the door way, nothing.

Nothing but a wall.

Anzu could sense her sisters' disappointment knowing they could sense her own. "What was this, a joke?"

"No, in fact, people started to disappear but came back and had a slightly awed look about them. When they told the others, they discovered in to be a gateway between times, it's said that the doorway takes you to where you're needed, but one day the traveling stopped when the fountain was empty."

"So it works with the power of water?" Mana asked.

"Yes. Oh dear, come on girls, night will be falling soon and we better get into out tents quick before we get too cold."

"Okay!" they all said in unison and walked up the small flight of stairs. As Anzu turned around to get one last look at the fountain she grinned. "Hey girls."

Kisara and Mana turned. "What's up Anzu?" Mana asked.

"Want to grab three buckets of water, throw it in and see if this magical doorway will open?" her brows rose as she grinned. Mana's eyes sparked to life while Kisara actually started doing her own evil grin.

"Why not. It's not like it'll hurt anything. After all, it was meant to hold water." Mana pointed out innocently. Kisara was obviously feeling naughty today.

"That's very true. Hmm, twenty minutes after lights out?" she suggested.

"We'll just slip in a few sleeping tablets in the soup tonight. Won't hurt them." Anzu grinned. Now this was what she called a mini adventure but it was better than having one compared to _no_ adventure.

"Sounds like a plan."

~o~

Back at camp the girls made a very nice soup with the help of a few hunters supplying the meat. This was, as Kisara liked to call it, Beef Sleep Soup. The whole camp went in for seconds, thirds, and then fourths . . . Mana leaned close to Anzu with a sly grin on her face. "Looks like there will be a lot of sleepy heads in the morning."

"Indeed. Did you get rid of the proof?" she asked.

"Yep, they'll never find it."

As the camp drifted off to sleep, Anzu, Mana, and Kisara were all on edge, one bucket filled with water by their beds. When twenty minutes past they stayed for another ten before moving. They bundled up against the cold winds and turned on the desert cart and road off to the fountain, excitement buzzing between them.

When they came upon the ruined village Anzu turned off the cart, stashed the keys in a place only their mother knew of and grabbed the three buckets. "Ready to see if this so-called fountain of time is real?" Anzu asked.

Mana and Kisara nodded and together, they poured out all the water. Quickly, they rushed down the sandy stairs to the doorway the led nowhere. They waited, waited, and waited. Still nothing. Anzu laughed. "Total fake. I'd hate to go back to camp and say, 'sorry mom, the fountain of time doesn't work." They all laughed but something made them fall silent suddenly. It was quiet, no following footsteps or animal scuffles. Anzu got a bad feeling and her sisters must have felt the same as they all stepped back, clutching their hands tightly.

The door the led no where started to glow. "Anzu, what's going on?" Kisara gasped.

"Umm, maybe the door is legit." She said. A wind that started to suck them through the door finally scared them to let their voices go as they screamed into the night. "Don't let go guys!" Anzu screamed as she felt herself fall through the door. Together, they found themselves surrounded in sunlight and still at the bottom of the damned fountain.

Despite her shaky feet, Anzu stood up and slowly climbed the stairs. Day time, the ruins didn't seem to be ruin anymore, just an abandoned village that someone forgot. No one was there, walking around, heck, there wasn't even a damn chicken! "Anzu?"

"It's okay guys." She called to them. They rushed forward and paused, all in utter shock.

"Where are we?!" Mana squeaked, holding her sisters closer. Anzu felt a chill travel up and down, up and down her spine. She could see what they were seeing but she was most certainly not dreaming.

"I . . . I don't know." She whispered.

* * *

A time travel romance. (I actually find these stories fun to write and read.) So, tell me what you guys think please. I would really like to know! XP

Thank you for reading! :D Have a nice day or night!


	2. Goddess

Update! Yay. So, here is the second chapter of the story, I hope you guys like it. :) Working on my other stories right now but a research paper is getting in the way of such things so it may be a while. (Sorry.)

pegasiger: As I look back at it, the chapter was rushed. (But I hope this chapter will make up for it in some ways.) When I have the time I'll remake the chapter and put some more detail into it but at the moment my hands are slightly tied. : /

As for the other reviewers and readers, thank you for reading and reviewing my story. :)

Discalimer, I own nothing.

* * *

The Fountain of Time

Chapter 2

Anzu felt like clutching her brown hair and screaming her butt off. This was not how the village should look like, it should have looked old, but these places looked used, but not destroyed by the elements. They were still wearing the same things, knee length white pants paired with a white shirt with a gold phoenix sewed into the front. Their gifts from their mother this trip. Kisara had a blue phoenix while Mana had a cute dark green phoenix. Boots were simple and old. In fact, they weren't even properly black. The area around them changed but they didn't . . . why that bothered her she couldn't understand, she probably wouldn't, didn't even want to understand why it bothered her. Wait, now she knew.

They did not fit in, at all.

"Anzu?"

"What, Mana?" she asked.

"Do you have any idea where," she gulped. "We are and _when_?"

Anzu paused and looked around; she was utterly confused as much as her sisters were. There were no markers that said, 'Welcome to Ancient Egypt!' or wherever they were. No, it should be when, what time were they in Egypt? When there were pharaohs still ruling and sitting on a throne or were they thrown back in the middle of a time where there was a major war going on? She shivered at the thought. "I really don't know Mana. Your guess is as good as mine."

Kisara was looking around, her eyes wide with fear. "Anzu . . . if we're really back in time I'm not going to be liked by anyone." She whispered softly, tears started to gather in her eyes. Anzu growled as her instinct to protect her sisters flared up. Wrapping her arms around Kisara's small frame she held her close.

"I'm not going to let anyone hurt you." She said. "Look at me Kisara." She commanded. The pale young woman looked up, uncertainty within her wary gaze. "I won't let anyone get close to you, if someone wants to throw rocks, I'll throw right back!"

Mana bounced up beside Anzu, determination set in her dark emerald eyes. "I second that, Kisara. I won't let anyone get near you." She said, throwing her arms around her sister.

Kisara blinked back her tears and a smile formed on her pale pink lips. "Thanks you guys." She said.

Anzu let go and looked around and froze.

Oh shit.

"Um, guys, don't move." Kisara and Mana looked her way, confused.

"Why?"

"There's a lion." They all looked up and felt their stomachs tighten. It was a lioness and she was looking at the small group with curiosity, or maybe that was hunger. They remained frozen as another cat, a cheetah, came up beside the lion. Anzu felt her eye twitch. Lions and cheetahs, as far as she knew, were not the best of buddies, but these two sat side by side together. "Um . . . this is really weird." She said to herself.

Mana blinked and looked over at Anzu in surprise. "What?"

Anzu turned. "That's weird," she waved her hand over at the cats. "Lions and cheetahs never get along."

"Yeah, I know that but umm, what language were you speaking?"

Anzu rolled her eyes. "English, or cour-" she stopped. To her brain it sounded English, to her ears, not so much. She was speaking another language without needing any lessons . . . beat that stupid Spanish teacher.

Kisara's hands flew to cover her own mouth. Mana eyes looked ready to pop out of her head. "I understood you! You're speaking another language, well, I am too, but I understood it!" she gasped. "The world is ending!"

Anzu rolled her eyes while Kisara finally broke into full blown laughter as she clutched her stomach. "Really, Mana? Seriously?"

"I can't help it! You know it's almost impossible for me to speak and learn a new language." Well, she was right about that. Mana started to pace around, hands in the air speaking mindlessly as a crazy happy grin spread over her face. One couldn't blame her. When you had problems learning and speaking a language and then you get thrown into a world where suddenly you can speak _two_ languages like its nothing, yeah, that'll make anyone happy.

Anzu grinned but out of the corner of her realized something. The lion was still there but the cheetah was gone. She opened her mouth to speak but her words were stuck and a crash of white noise made her brain go fuzzy as she felt something rub against her hip. Anzu looked down to see the cheetah rubbing its head on her leg. Kisara and Mana had paused in their doings to stare. "Anzu, I didn't know cats liked you." Mana said. "As in, big cats."

"Um, neither did I." she said. The lioness moved then, sauntering over with the grace that only cats possessed. Mana and Kisara watched, jaws hanging as the lioness came to stand in front of Mana, its tail flickering slightly but she looked relaxed and rolled around, like a giant over-sized kitten.

Kind of . . .

Kisara crouched down and scratched behind the lioness's ear only adding to the lioness's playful nature. "I know that in Ancient Egypt the Egyptian's would take newborn lion, cheetah, and sometimes leopard and black panther cubs to train them for hunting and just every day household protection."

Anzu blinked and started to scratch the cheetah's ear, causing it to purr even louder. "That's some great security system, but here's a great question, who . . . well, looks after them, or who do they look after?"

"An excellent question, mortal."

The sudden voice made them all jump. They looked over to see a beautiful woman with flawless golden tan skin like Mana's with sharp, cat-like green eyes that shimmered in the light. She was tall with long graceful arms and legs. She had an air about her, imposing and fierce. Her long black hair reached mid-back, but the ends were straight and even. Gold chains with jewels encrusted into them hanged from a solid band of gold that encircled her head like a crown. She moved and walked with the same grace as the cats. Anzu truly thought she would have to glue her jaw back on. "Huh?" she asked smartly.

The woman smiled. "These two are Kasmut," she waved her hand to the lioness. "And Tena." She then waved a hand to the cheetah that refused to part with Anzu. "She cares for you, I see." The woman said, eyeing Anzu and Tena. She then moved closer. The woman was covered in what looked like white silk and gold. The top was bikini style while the bottom was close to bikini style but two long flaps of the white silk stuff covered up specific areas. Gold bands on her arms and legs. This woman looked to be royalty. "Your name, mortal." She tipped her chin forward, her green eyes flashing in challenge.

Anzu felt her ire rise, making her eyes narrow. "Only if you give us your name."

The woman smiled, as though she had been pleased. "I am Bastet, the goddess of fire, cats, home and fertility, and the sun and moon. I am also known as the Lady of the East." She said, her tone imposing and powerful. Anzu wanted to call her crazy but when you traveled through time way before you were born it was hard to deny the supernatural.

"I'm Anzu Mazaki, and these are my adopted sisters, Mana and Kisara."

Bastet looked over the three. "Sisters by bond but not blood." She murmured softly. She looked over at the fountain. "You have come through the Fountain of Time."

"Yeah . . . about that. How do we get home, like, back to our time?"

Bastet looked at them her eyes flashing with amusement. "Get back?" she laughed. "The only way you may return is if you complete what you were meant to do here, or you have the choice of staying here in this time." Boy, her mother sure as heck forgot to mention _that_ part of the story.

Anzu sighed and kicked the dust and started to pace. "Our mom is going to be worried for us. Hell, she'll probably kill us for leaving like that."

"Your mother would abuse her daughters for walking the path of their destiny?" Bastet sounded rather confused with that. Anzu's eyes widened as she paused in her pacing to shake her head.

"No, but she's not going to be very happy for just leaving her with no note." Anzu explained. Bastet seemed to understand.

"Many times we must do something difficult to follow the path we were born to walk upon." She said. "Now that you are here, perhaps Egypt may find balance."

Mana frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

The goddess waved her hand, as if to refer to all of Egypt. "This land and its people have overcome a great evil and are now rebuilding, but Pharaoh Atem still has many challenges to face and because of this, I prayed to the Universe that it bring me someone who could help." She paused and smiled at them. "And it seems the Universe has heard me and given me not one, but three souls to help the Pharaoh."

Anzu held up a hand, a signal for the goddess to stop. "Okay, so you prayed for us, what do you want us to do exactly to help out Egypt? Like, protect this Pharaoh guy or be-friend him?" Bastet blinked before nodding.

"I want you to get close to the Pharaoh and keep him safe. Yes, he may know how to defend himself and he deals with danger every day, but there are some things that you may know that he does not. For instants, I have seen Anzu that you know several fighting techniques." Anzu blushed and mumbled under her breath, making Bastet grin as she turned to Mana. "And you, Mana, have a large amount of untamed magic within you."

"I do?!" she squeaked in shock and surprise. Bastet turned to Kisara.

"And you, Kisara, within your soul is a heavenly being that has always been protecting you." Kisara blinked and held her hands to her chest at the very thought that she held something powerful and heavenly. "All three of you have a special role to play here in this land. To help and aid you as much as I can, I shall leave you two with Kasmut and Tena." She turned to Kisara. "And you child, look within your soul and try to find what has always been there." She said before turning. "I leave you now, but should you ever need me, go to one of my temples and I shall help you as much as I can."

Anzu watched as the goddess walked away, disappearing in a shower of tiny gold lights. "I didn't just imagine that, did I?" she asked. Tena chirped, making Anzu look down. "Yeah," she said in a defeated ton of voice. "I didn't imagine that." They all paused for a moment before Mana and Kisara turned to Anzu.

Again?

"What do we do now?"

"Who made me the leader?" Anzu asked indignantly. Mana and Kisara shared a look before answering.

"You're the oldest." Kisara pointed out innocently.

Anzu scowled. "Right, so when I make a mistake you both have an outlet to take your anger and frustration out on, me."

Mana grinned. "Not a bad idea."

Anzu crossed her arms over her chest, her glare intensifying. "I vote Kisara." Now the pale young woman glared.

"Why me?!"

"Because you're level-headed. I get angry fast, you on the other hand are calm and often times think first before you act."

Mana nodded. "Anzu has a point there, and I think we can all agree that I'm not a good choice." That was also true. "So truly, you're the best to lead, Kisara."

Kisara and Anzu stared down, both in the same stances until Kisara sighed and gave in. "Fine, I'll be the leader." She huffed. The lioness and cheetah shared a look with each other, both seemed to be grinning.

Interesting.

* * *

In a hallway only lit by torches a man with spiky black hair tipped with violet and blond bangs framing his tan face, sharp crimson eyes framed with thick black lashes paced up and down the hall by a shut door. A crown sat upon his head with an eye that sat in the center of his forehead. Three bands of gold formed a collar, the third hidden by a long purple cape. His outfit consisted of white linen that was form fitted and was a one piece separated by four gold bands that formed a belt, giving the illusion that it was in two pieces. A blue strip of cloth was set in the center of his 'skirt' that ended at his knees. Arms and legs in more gold bands that only enhanced them. To complete the look an upside-down pyramid with an eye in the center hung from his neck.

He was obviously a man of power as the air around him was a force, an air of someone who had seen far too much. A low moan from the other side of the door made him pause in his pacing to look over at the door. A woman quickly exited the room; she too was covered in gold, but not to the extent of the man. She was small, a local since she had the same skin tone as the man, a light chocolate with dark blue eyes like the Nile's darkest and deepest water. Her black hair was hidden by a hood that was held by a kind of crown that was shaped like a bird. She was dressed in traditional Egyptian attire with a gold belt revealing her shapely curved and womanly body. The only jewelry she had on were two cuffs on each wrist and a necklace with an eye as the centerpiece.

"Isis." The man finally spoke. The woman, Isis, bowed her head but did not dare meet his gaze. "Is all well?" he asked softly.

She shook her head. "I am truly sorry, Pharaoh Atem. The child was a stillborn, Queen Tey is weak, it was a difficult birth." Isis said softly as horror fell over Atem's features. He rushed into the room just as one of the women walked out, holding a small frail body within her arms. He held out a hand, forcing her to stop. The woman squeaked but did as told and held the child out.

With a shaking hand he lifted the white silk to reveal a child that he could clearly call his own. A boy. Chest tight, he tenderly covered his child's still form. He waved his hand away and walked into the room where his queen lay. She was covered in sweat, her black hair fanning out over the bed. Her eyes flickered open weakly to brown gold eyes. Atem sat down next to her and cupped her face gently, afraid that with the slightest amount of pressure she would break within his hands. "Tey."

She smiled, but it was a sad one. "I tired . . ." she gasped. "I tried so hard."

He leaned over her, resting his forehead on hers. "I know you did, Tey." With all her strength, she raised her hand to his cheek.

"I release your heart, beloved. Do not let my death make you hesitate in obtaining an heir, Atem . . ." she paused. "And love." He looked down at her, shocked.

"Tey . . . this cannot be you, for Tey is very jealous and does not like to share." He said, trying to lighten the heaviness in the room. She gave a shaky laugh.

"That is true, but my time is coming and I refuse to allow my death and our son's death to stop you from finding happiness, Atem . . ." she was struggling to stay awake now, but her eyes flashed open with a new found strength. "Promise me! Promise that you will find someone who can make you happy. I know that our union was picked out, but I have learned to care greatly for you and I cannot bear to be the cause of preventing you happiness. Promise . . ."

He closed his eyes. "I promise, Tey, I shall find my happiness." Atem said. Tey smiled and blissful peace enter her eyes as she closed them. Atem stayed until her chest stopped rising and her hand grew cold. Bowing his head, he felt hot tears slide down his cheeks. "My Tey." He sobbed quietly.

There was a moment of silence before he heard footsteps walking away. He did not care at the moment.

~o~

Isis walked to the throne room were the rest of the priests were and the new priestess, Teana. They all turned to her when she entered. Shimon spoke. "Isis, I pray to Ra that you bring us good news."

Isis shook her head. "I cannot give you good news. Queen Tey gave birth to a stillborn, the birth was too hard and made her too weak . . . she has passed to the Afterlife." Gasps went up. Teana walked forward.

"How is the Pharaoh?" she asked.

"I do not know, but I do know that we cannot press him to find another queen so soon. It would hurt and insult him at this moment of time." Isis said softly, her heart filling with sympathy for her king.

She remembered the first time Atem and Tey had met; it was the day that the former Pharaoh announced to his son that he would be married to the noble young girl. Tey once had been a sweet innocent child, but the death of her four children had been wounds that no one could heal.

The first child was a stillborn, but the doctor merely put it on the fact that they were so young. The second child, a girl who had been given the name Ana, had only been alive for five weeks before an assassin killed her. That day she'd seen the former Pharaoh, Aknamkanon, and his son both go into a fit of rage. She knew; though she did not like to think of it, that the assassin was still alive and would be tortured until he died of old age.

The second last child had been a stillborn, and now another brother joined him. It broke Isis's heart for her king. How any parent could bury all four of his children that he ever had was a feat in itself. Footsteps interrupted her thoughts, making her look up to see her king walk into the throne room. "Today will be a day of rest, grieve if you wish." Pharaoh Atem said in a tight voice and left. Isis closed her eyes.

"I should have foreseen this." She said softly.

Teana turned to look at her, shocked. "Priestess Isis! Do not say such things! You can hardly be blamed for the death of Queen Tey. Even if you had forewarned the queen she still would have had to give birth."

Mahado nodded. "Teana is correct, Isis. This is not something you should carry on your shoulders, ever."

Shimon walked over to her. "Isis, even if you had warned Queen Tey there might not have been anything we would have been to do to help her."

"We could have been prepared!" Isis said, starting to pace. She paused and touched her necklace then, her eyes misting over.

Teana gasped. "She's having a vision!"

The priests came slightly closer and waited until Isis had come back. "What did you see?" Seto asked.

"Three lights . . . it's so strange. One was pure white, another a pale gold and the last one was a blue, a very light blue that seemed . . . distant. The pale golden one seemed to be playful while the white one I could only feel serenity from it. The blue one was hard to read, one minute it would come in close but the second I dared to raise my hand to the orb it would flash away . . . the blue one has a hard time trusting for some reason. But the each orb is strong in its own ways."

"That's all you saw, orbs?" Mahado said.

Isis shook her head. "I understand it as much as you do, Mahado."

"Perhaps these orbs stand for someone's soul." Atem spoke, making Isis jump. He was leaning against one of the pillars. His eyes sparked with challenge and curiosity. "Could you tell if these orbs were . . . alive?"

"As a matter of fact, yes, they are alive, but the blue one . . . it is keeping me away from the other two orbs. Protecting them, I think."

Atem nodded. "Isis."

"Yes my King?"

"Find out more if you could."

"Of course."

"And also," he said, making her freeze. "It's not your fault, Isis. Do not blame yourself for her death." Isis turned to watch her king leave.

"Yes, my King." She said softly, a new determinedness growing within her.

* * *

Yeah, Atem's part starts in on a really crappy moment, but I was trying to be somewhat real in this stuff. So, werid things are happening already. Now Anzu, Kisara, and Mana need to travel across some miles of desert. (A game shall be played, for a bit of humor to add.)

Okay, so I might want to explain this quick acceptance of the fact that Anzu and the other two were speaking to a goddess. This is all part of the story. (Promise!) I'll explain it this way. You know when you hear something really weird but you accept it almost instantly and then later you're like, 'what the f*ck was I thinking?!' And one might think along the lines that they're insane. Anzu and the others have not hit that, 'wtf?! moment yet. (But they will in the next chapter.

Tell me what you think, please! Thanks for reading! Have a nice day or night. :D


	3. Torture

Very sorry about the long wait you guys! The Block was trying to hit me left and right so I had to jump around on some days to try and keep myself typing not to mention I had to deal with my brother not doing his chores so guess who my mother got mad at? (Me, duh, I'm the older sister, I should have told him over and over again to do his shit before she came home from a long day at work while I was concentrating on MY chores to complete. (SSSSSOOOOOOOO glad I am moving up north to Indiana once this dang school year is over with.) With that rant done and over with, I present the third chapter to The Fountain of Time.

Disclaimer, I own nothing!

* * *

The Fountain of Time

Chapter 3

There were three definitions Anzu knew of the word torture. The action or practice of inflicting severe pain on someone as a punishment or force them to do or say something, or for the pleasure of the person inflicting the pain. The second, great physical or mental suffering or anxiety, the third, a cause of such suffering or anxiety.

"I spy with my little eye something yellowish." Mana said. Anzu felt her eye twitch. Kisara was, for some reason, playing along.

"The sand."

"Nope."

What the hell could possibly be yellow in a land of sand, note heavy sarcasm. Kisara hummed for a minute. "A dune?"

"Nope."

"The sand." She repeated.

"Nope."

"Oh my god!" Anzu snapped. "It's the fucking sand, Mana!" The small teen pouted and bent over and picked up something. She lifted her hand, revealing a single grain of sand.

"It was this I was looking at."

Anzu looked at the small grain she could _barely_ see. Mental torture. Anzu lost it. Just completely, one hundred percent, lost it. "Oh yes," she snarled, bending down, scooping up a handful of sand. "Here's thousands of more that's just like the same damn tiny grain your holding!" Kisara stepped back a little bit, shocked at her older sister's sudden anger. Mana's eyes grew wide. "My god, you know what?! I'm sorry I even stepped near that stupid fountain. If I could turn back the clock I would have told mother no. I wish I could tell her to fuck off and let me live a normal life instead of being dragged around to places where I don't even want to be damnit all! Worst yet, we're supposedly the answered prayer a goddess made to the fucking Universe. Joy to the world!"

Anzu collapsed into the hot sand as heavy tears slipped down her cheeks. The last time she'd cried it was when she was around fifteen when she had to leave her school of all things. Since then she'd just held it all in, refused to show any sign of weakness on her part. But right now crying wouldn't help her get out of this desert fast enough. She knew that to be a freaking fact, but there was so many things a teenager could hear and take before the whole world started spinning.

Yeah, she could cry and it wouldn't change the situation, sadly enough, but sure felt good. Kisara sat down next to Anzu and leaned against her. "You have us, and Mana may be annoying, but it's better than being alone in this desert without any human contact, and everyone who's met you knows one thing. You're a butterfly, you like to socialize. So think about it this way, no one or us." Anzu blinked before her lips twitched.

"Usually it's me doing all the cheering up."

"Even the cheerleader needs some cheering up after what we've been through." Kisara smiled. "Now, how about we find some place to rest until the sun starts to set."

"But what will we do when darkness comes?" Mana asked. "It gets cold here."

"We'll worry about that when the sun sets." Kisara said. Tena and Kasmut were maybe a few feet away, digging under a rock of some kind. Mana was watching, wondering what they were going. Kisara and Anzu, after standing up, followed suit.

"What are they doing?"

"Digging a hole by the looks of it." Anzu said. The cats poked their heads out from the hole. Anzu realized that it was big enough for her to squeeze into. "Oh!"

"Oh what?" Kisara asked.

Anzu carefully slid into the hole, and then down. The cats had found a nicely sized place for resting. "Guys, come on in! It's big enough for everyone." Mana and Kisara slipped in and sighed.

"Its so nice to be out of that heat!"

"No kidding." Mana sighed and fell down, passed out and already snoring.

Anzu grinned. "Guess she was more tired than she let on." Kisara slumped against the sandy wall with a sleepy smile.

"All of us are." She yawned and slowly drifted off, leaving Anzu alone with her thoughts. It made her think about their role in Egypt, their destiny as the goddess said. She snorted. Destiny. How clichéd could one get?

Clichéd . . . how many stories had she donated or gotten rid of because of the cliché heroine who always denied her feelings or her surroundings? Where she was or who she was, the great potential that she had to become great but it always took a guy to make the stupid heroine see what was there all along . . . no, she didn't want to become that cliché and she never would.

Laying her head against the sandy wall, she scratched Tena's ear, causing the cheetah to purr. "Fuck that." She laughed softly and drifted into sleep, enjoying the feeling of no worries.

* * *

Atem felt like hitting his head against the wall. His father, mother, and uncle may be dead, but that didn't mean his other family was dead too. Sitting on the throne, all he heard was his three siblings, two sisters, and one brother. Yugi was born after him, then his sister, Atena, and finally Chaya. All three seemed to be in a war as to who Atem should marry next. Then there were a few other cousins and an aunt and uncle.

Was there no peace left in this world?

'_Tey should be here_.' He thought miserably. '_She would have stopped the bickering by now_.' "Silence!" he snarled. The hall quieted and his siblings turned to face him, all pale with wide eyes as they stared into their brother's narrowed gaze. "One more bickering word from any of you and I will personally see you all out." He growled.

Atena, Yugi, and Chaya bowed their heads and the small family meeting went back to normal. He looked up to see his aunt walk up to him, a smile of understanding on her painted lips. "You are young, yet you have aged so much, my nephew." She held out her arms and he leaned into her warmth.

"That usually happens when one has lost a total of four children and one wife."

She stepped away and cupped his cheek. Atem could see his father in her eyes, the seriousness and calmness that he had seen his father take with him. Itet had always been this way. "It will become dull over time, my nephew. This I promise." She said softly.

"I trust you." He said softly. "Now, if you could possible go shut up my siblings before my head aches anymore, I would greatly appreciate that." He said. Itet laughed and patted his cheek three times before going over to scold his siblings.

Someone stood beside him, and judging by his aura, Atem knew it to be one of his priests. He looked over to Mahado. "So far, I have learned that marriage to one can bring much happiness, but should the gods not be on my side I lose all I love."

Atem sighed. "So it seems. I do not understand it though. At the beginning the gods blessed the marriage openly and with such great gifts that it has brought a new meaning to the phrase, 'golden age'. But why would they keep an heir from me?"

"Permission to speak openly?" Mahado said softly. Atem nodded, knowing that when Mahado asked he feared it would be insulting, or at the least, painful.

"You have it."

"Perhaps those four children were the gods' gifts, but perhaps Tey's womb could not hold children."

Atem blinked in shock. Mahado could be very much correct on that. For the first child to even be conceived it took nearly a year. Afterwards, a month had always been added to it. Longer and longer it took and yet she still became pregnant, carried it through, and the child was still lost. "How would you explain the second, Ana?" Mahado shuffled his feet. "Mahado?"

"I . . . forgive me Pharaoh, but I had feared that Tey's womb had been the problem all along so when she announced the second pregnancy I had her visit me so I could perform a spell to keep her strong and her womb healthy. When Princess Ana was born I wanted to tell you but . . . you were so happy . . ." the priest looked away. "I should have told you . . ."

Atem wished his friend had told him, but there was no use crying over what had been lost and the gift Mahado had given him was something he would never forget. Holding Ana, kissing her smooth soft forehead, keeping her safe . . . watching her sleep. Those treasured moments were lost and yet etched in stone, never to be forgotten. "I hold nothing against you. I thank you for what you had given me but why did you not help in the third or fourth try?"

"I wanted to, but Tey refused, believing the magic was only protecting her. She believed that it was by her own will and the gods that she had a successful birth." Atem pressed his lips into a thin line but it was so like Tey, to not believe in magic. She had come from a household where magic was never used. So the clash between them when it came to magic was difficult to get around.

"The past is the past, Mahado, let it stay in the past. Ana was a gift that I will treasure for the rest of my life."

They fell into a friendly silence before Mahado spoke. "Many are saying you need to marry once more. I know that it pains you, to marry another woman but soon you will be pressed by everyone around you. The nobles will offer their daughters, you will deny them and they will be insulted."

Atem sighed, knowing it was all but the truth. "I will marry again, but not right this moment. I should probably send that out before someone attempts to present their daughter."

"Too late." Yugi said, startling Atem. He turned to his youngest brother, brow up.

"What?"

"A woman has entered the room, and you won't like her." Atem felt his heart harden.

"Please tell me it's not Akuktata." He groaned.

"Sadly."

Atem sighed and rubbed his eyes in irritation. Akuktata was not ugly; in fact, she was renowned for being one of the most beautiful nobles. Tey had been terribly jealous whenever the noble was around because it was well known that whenever she could provide a son, the child died. Akuktata had been married once and in the short time she'd been married to her former husband, a man who had died because of illness, she provided him with four sons. Two pairs of twins. A rare feat for any woman.

He had shared a past relationship with her before Akuktata had married, Tey knew this and whenever the two women had come face-to-face the noble would smile and ask if her queen was expecting. It was harmless from another's point of view, but Atem knew that Tey flinched every time.

Akuktata approached, her sensuous hips swinging with each step. When they stood together she only came up to his chin. She was well gifted in the chest area with flawless tan skin. Brown gold eyes glittered with lust, mystery, and something else he could never put his finger on. Atem bowed his head slightly. "Akuktata." He said in greeting.

She smiled, her bright red lips tilting up at the corners. "Atem." She replied. "I have heard that Tey has left to the Afterlife. I pray she is at rest."

"I thank you." He said.

"Would you like me to comfort you tonight?" she asked. Mahado and Yugi stiffened as angered burned into their eyes. Atem remained calm; he sighed and shook his head.

"I am afraid not, beautiful Akuktata. I wish to grieve." He said. He watched as the predator in the beautiful woman shifted, her eyes hardened before her mask returned. She smiled and took his hand.

"As you wish, my Pharaoh." She said softly before moving off to someone else. Yugi growled.

"That woman is poison."

Atem turned to his brother, a sly smile on his lips. "Indeed brother, she is." Yugi blushed, realizing he had practically insulted the Pharaoh when speaking ill of his former mistress.

"I, I am sorry brother," he paused. "I just do not like her . . . she feels evil to me." He said timidly.

Atem chuckled. "I understand Yugi. Akuktata is not just a beautiful woman, but all her life she has been deep into politics. She cannot be like an innocent noble girl like the ones you see every day."

"Still." Yugi grumbled. "Something is just wrong about her." Atem smiled and ruffled his brother's spiky hair.

"Yes, something is wrong with her, but you know it is rude to talk about others behind their backs, brother." Atem chided, making Yugi blush. "Now go mingle with the others." He said. Yugi nodded and bowed before leaving to talk with his sisters. Atem watched him go, the small jolt of jealousy spreading through him for a moment. His brother did not have to worry about being king. He may have had to worry about obtaining a son, but there was no king factor to worry about unless some assassin got to Atem.

He sat down, a frown present. When he was younger, only thirteen, he had dreamed of becoming king but now that he was actually experiencing it, he would gladly give it up, but a promise to his father stopped him from that. It was a compromising situation from him. Egypt needed him to lead, Atem wanted to forget his duties and live.

"Pharaoh."

"Hmm?" he blinked and looked up to see his cousin, Priest Seto watching him with worried eyes. "Seto?"

"You are troubled . . ."

"And so everyone around me is troubled as well, yes, I know." Atem growled. He had heard it a thousand times from his many advisories and he was tired of hearing it. Seto gave him a crooked smile.

"I know that you are frustrated, cousin, but it is a time to _appreciate family_ and I know your sisters would appreciate talking to you. The family is just as sad and disappointed as you are, Atem. They are nervous and so they must talk about things, even if it is painful for you."

Atem sighed and stood up. "I know . . ."

Seto gave him a gentle push, prompting Atem to join the family. Chaya and Atena turned to him when he walked up to them. Chaya stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. "Hello brother." She said softly. Atena merely smiled. Atem felt the corner of his lips twitch.

"Sorry about before."

Atena shook her head. "No, we are sorry, brother. What we said was rude."

Atem grinned and hugged both Atena and Chaya at the same time. "And I forgive you." Yugi appeared then, leaning against the small group. For a moment, every sibling, though unaware that the others were feeling the same way, felt young again, just kids once more being kids. Never having to worry about being king, to start their own family.

The simple life.

* * *

So as you can see the factors are building. Atem doesn't like Akuktata but he respects her. Why? That will be explained later on in the story One step at a time, there's no need to rush things. As for our three traveling friends they don't have much farther to go before the wheels begin to turn.

Who will cause problems for our ladies? Will it be Teana or Akuktata? Atena will not be the one causing problems this time around. (For those who read Vampire Queen.) Speaking of Vampire Queen, the first chapter for The Chosen Queen is underway! I do warn you though, it will be rated M. First chapter will be . . . well, let's just say it's lemon pie! :D


	4. How Childish!

Hi guys. Omg, I finally got this chapter done. I've been jumping around for a few days. (Damn you school...) Anyway, I have a long chapter up. My fingers hurt. (Oh gods, its The Matchmakers all over again. Lol!) So here is the next chapter for The Fountain of Time!

Disclaimer, I own nothing! (I also don't own _The Mummy Returns_)

* * *

The Fountain of Time

Chapter 4

Anzu woke up with a jolt, still in the dark cool hole with her sisters and the two cats. The cheetah, Tena, was purring softly while Kasmut had draped herself over Mana like a dangerous blanket. Kisara was resting against her shoulder. Gently pushing Kisara off, Anzu stood up and peeked out of the hole and could see that someone was standing in front of it, waiting for someone to come out. Anzu narrowed her eyes at the toes . . . the toe nails were like claws.

Bastet.

Anzu heaved herself out of the hole and quickly stood up to face the goddess who still looked beautiful . . . "Have you ever been to the future, my time?"

The goddess blinked in surprise at the question. "I have visited your time for brief moments."

"You should really be a model, because you would be extremely successful." Anzu said truthfully. The goddess laughed suddenly.

"Perhaps I may try it, but at the moment you and your sisters are in need of a dress change." Anzu frowned and looked at her outfit feeling a little sad that she had to part with it.

"Could I keep the boots?" she asked.

The goddess paused before she held out her hand that cupped and handful of gold powder. She blew on it gently, lifting the powder, covering Anzu. The next second she opened her eyes she was in something fairly familiar. Where had she . . . oh, this outfit had been on one of those women in the fighting scene in The Mummy Returns, only the skirt thing was a little bit longer. Her boots had been converted, somehow, to an Egyptian version. Still protected her feet but the leather was no longer as thick as it used to be. "There, you will at least be able to walk among the people with causing too much of a stir."

"What about Kisara?"

"What about me?" A sleepy voice said. Both the goddess and Anzu turned to see the pale young woman crawl out rubbing her eyes. The two cats and Mana followed. "Hello Lady Bastet," Kisara paused to look at Anzu. "Nice outfit."

"Thanks, now all I need are those sai blades to complete the look." Anzu giggled. Mana grinned and looked a little closer at her sister's new outfit and she realized something.

"Holy crap! That's real gold!" she squeaked. Bastet smiled and sprinkled a little gold powder over the girl's head. Mana looked down to see that her outfit her mother had bought her had been replaced with a white shoulderless, sleeveless top with ruffled straps around her upper arms, a white miniskirt, charmed bracelets around her wrists and ankles and matching necklace, belt and headwear. Mana looked absolutely giddy. "I look so cute!"

Kisara and Anzu laughed at their little sister. Bastet paused for a moment, watching the three girls. It made her wonder what it was like to feel for someone who was not a sibling by blood and yet to strongly call them sister or brother with such conviction that it made one look at them again, to be sure they didn't share any similar traits. She stepped beside the pale woman. "As for you, Kisara, I cannot give you a dress such like your sisters' since you stand out in ways that they do not." She said, waving her hand over the pale girl's head, replacing her outfit with a simple beige dress with sleeves. A small clean beige scarf covered her head, hiding the majority of her waist length white hair. "Your outfits coincide with your abilities."

They watched, slightly awed as the goddess pulled out of thin air twin daggers and a wand. The wand landed in Mana's hands while the daggers went to Anzu.

The wand was had a yellow crystal at the top of the blue staff with a smaller crystal ball at the other end. Bright pink bands were placed towards the yellow crystals. While Mana ogled her new wand Anzu was looking at the twin daggers as the fading light hit the dangerous blades. Wait . . . fading light. "Hey Bastet, you know it get's cold out here at night, right? You wouldn't happen to have some magical cloaks that will keep us warm, would you?"

The goddess grinned. "I was wondering when you would ask for such." She held a three folded cloaks, each a different color. One a pale blue, the other a dark green, and the last, a white one. "These will keep you warm during the night and cool during the day."

Mana took her cloak and wrapped in around her shoulders, already feeling slightly warm as the cold desert winds started to become more pronounced with the setting sun. She leapt forward and wrapped the goddess in a thankful hug. "Thank you so much, Lady Bastet!"

The goddess looked a little shocked but she smiled and patted the girl's head. Anzu and Kisara giggled softly, only Mana could get away with hugging someone like Bastet. "Good luck on your journey, young ones." She said and then turned to the cats that sat in front of their Lady. "As for you two, I wish for you both to protect them."

The cats bowed their heads. Bastet turned to the three girls and with her hand pointed the way to civilization. "That way is where you all will find the home of Pharaoh Atem." Anzu and her sisters turned to the direction.

Anzu turned back to say thank you but saw no one. "Well, let's go. We've rested now let's go see to our 'destiny', hmm?" She grinned. Kisara nodded while Mana rushed forward.

"What are we waiting for?! Let's go!" Kasmut stayed close to the small girl while Anzu could help but share an amused grin with Kisara.

"Wait up silly!"

* * *

Atem sighed and leaned against his throne. He was bored, supremely so. Of course, one would be bored after the huge war he had come out of just only two weeks ago. Lord Zorc, a man with a thirst for power and greed, waged war against his father for a time, but pulled back only to send one of his powerful pawns, Bakura King of Thieves, on the day of Atem's coronation.

Through the hard days of getting report after report about how many soldiers they had lost, it had sickened Atem's gut just sitting through them and having to listen and then immediately debate on how they were going to replace those lost men. Finally Atem just slammed his fist down and said that he would march into the next battle, and much to his priests' horror, he kept his word. Atem closed his eyes as he remembered the days he practiced with his cousin and friend, Seto and Mahado. Swords and magic had been his weapons of choice.

The next battle Atem had fought tooth and nail, using every bit of his energy. It had been the fourth victory that had been the start of the many victories before he came face-to-face with the dark lord. Just thinking about that battle made Atem exhausted even now. It had lasted for three days. Three!

"Pharaoh."

Atem was forced from his thoughts has he jumped up from the throne. Mahado stood before him, along with his cousin, Seto. "Yes?" he asked stiffly.

Both priests bowed. "It has come to our attention that you are . . . dissatisfied."

Atem's brow rose. "Is that so? Then what do you suggest?"

"You walk among your people. It has been some time since you had done so."

Atem paused. It _had_ been quite some time since he had made a trip to see how his people were fairing. He nodded. "As long as there is not parade following me, that is fine." He paused before grinning. "As a matter of fact, it shall be us three only."

His priests looked like they were about to fall to their knees and beg him otherwise but they paused, shared a few looks before sighing. Seto crossed his arms. "Fine."

Atem could not help but grin.

~o~

He slipped through the throng of his people with Seto and Mahado very close behind him. The homes of many of his people were still being rebuilt, the wells that had oddly dried so suddenly were now filling back up with water and his people were doing well considering what they had gone through. Atem came to the border of the village that surrounded his palace and took in the slightly cleaner air. He looked at the massive dunes that he could see over when in the palace but up close, all he wanted to do was make a mad dash up the dunes and slip into the shifting sands and follow the Nile, just to see where she went.

"Pharaoh." Mahado warned, knowing what his old friend was thinking as he stared at the massive dunes. They were getting worse. It seemed as though the sands of Egypt wanted to surround them and then swallow the people whole.

"Calm yourself, Mahado. Much to my dislike, I cannot leave. The people, and Egypt, need me." He said. Mahado shared a looked with Seto; both could hear what the Pharaoh sought to hide. The bitterness. Mahado could understand it. To be Pharaoh was not all that alluring. It was like being shackled in gold and silver and being tied down by the finest silks.

The priests had all become aware of the bitterness that their young King now held in view of the title as Pharaoh. Mahado was about to say something with a surprised squeak split the silence.

~o~

"I see the palace!" Mana yelled in complete joy. There was only a few more hours left of light and it was steadily growing cooler. Anzu sighed and scratched Tena's ear.

"That is probably the greatest thing I have ever seen." She said.

"How so?" Kisara asked.

"People!" Anzu groaned, making Kisara dissolve into a fit of giggles. Mana bounced to the top of a pretty tall dune.

"Last one down is a rotten egg!" she laughed and turned. Anzu's eyes widened.

"Wait, Mana, hold on for just a-"

She fell.

"Second." Anzu said. "After her!" they scrambled after their sister and made it to the top of the dune. Mana was heading straight towards a man with long brown hair tied up into a ponytail. Two other men were with him. They were dressed like the common people but the clothes didn't hide the air of command around them.

They all paused but just before Mana hit the guy with long brown hair and weird eye makeup one of the men rushed to try and pull his friend, she guessed, out of the way.

It was a fail.

Instead they both got knocked down, leaving the one man gaping in shock. Not that she could blame the guy. Anzu groaned and _carefully_ slid down the dune. "Honestly, Mana. I told you to wait." she snapped, speaking in English as she got up to her little sister, Kisara not far behind. She watched as the man's eyes fluttered open and he looked down. He lit up like a lobster. Anzu had to keep herself from laughing as she walked over to the other poor guy. She held out her hand as she spoke, in Egyptian this time. "Sorry about our sister. She's a real klutz on the sand."

He looked up, giving Anzu a good look at his crimson eyes. Wow was he hot. Black spiky hair tipped with violet with blond bangs framing his face. Would have looked horrible for a lot of guys but somehow this man managed to pull it off. He was well built with an air of command. He blinked at her hand for a few seconds before Anzu's brow rose. That seemed to catch his attention real fast.

"Want to take my hand so you can stand up or is the ground really _that_ comfortable?" she asked mockingly.

~o~

Atem had seen the girl rolling down the dune at a rather shocking speed. Atem had turned to pull Mahado out of the way but instead both got hit by the girl and ended up on the ground.

He heard someone approach, Seto probably, but instead a woman spoke harshly in another language. Atem was a bit baffled by the way the strange noises seemed to slip out of her mouth. He'd heard and knew many different languages but this one was new.

"Sorry about our sister. She's a real klutz on the sand." The woman said. He looked up and was blown away. Dark blue eyes that glowed like sapphires in Ra's light. She was slightly pale compared to him but her skin still had a healthy warm glow to it. She wore a skirt that reached her knees, her top only covered her ample breasts and she was wearing some interesting sandals. Her brow rose then and a sly mocking grin spread across her face. "Want to take my hand so you can stand up or is the ground really _that_ comfortable?"

He blushed and immediately placed his hand into her offered hand. He had been staring at her and by the look in her face, she knew it. Her grip was strong and firm, reminding him of his mother somewhat when she was very serious. Once he was standing she turned to the other woman just behind her and grinned, speaking in the strange language again as she pointed to Mahado and her sister.

Atem was about to look at Mahado when he did a double take on the other woman. She was pale. He could see it in her white skin that seemed to reflect the light, making hard for him to almost look at her. Her eyes were a soft laughing blue white her hair a pure white mostly covered by a scarf. Atem looked over at Seto and nearly laughed, his cousin, so it seemed, could not look away from the pale one.

The woman with the sapphire eyes crouched down with a playful smile on her face. The smaller woman was now coming around; in fact, she immediately looked into Mahado's eyes before blushing darkly. The woman spoke, making the one on his priest hop up and hide behind the pale woman. Mahado stood up, brushed himself off but for Atem, this was a little bit too good.

The sapphire eyed woman turned to him. "Sorry about that." She gave him a slightly nervous smile before turning to the dunes. "Kasmut, Tena!" Atem blinked. There was more?!

After a few seconds he changed his mind. A lioness and a cheetah sauntered over the dunes and joined the girls. As Pharaoh he had many cats he hunted with when he was actually in the mood to go on one of his hunting trips, but these cats looked to be slightly bigger not to mention it was a lion and cheetah, cats known not to get along well at all.

He had actually once seen a combination on a hunt with his father once and it had been an unforgettable memory. The cheetah, a cat by the name of Kha, had driven the antelope towards the lion, letting the bigger cat kill the prey. They must have been amazing trainers just to get those cats to walk side-by-side.

They were about to leave and for some reason, Atem couldn't have that. "Wait!" the small group paused, and the woman who'd helped him up looked over her shoulder.

"Yes?"

"Your names?" he asked.

They all shared looks before they spoke. "Anzu." She said. Atem blinked at the name. He'd never heard of a name like that, but then again, the fashion of names changed every day. The small girl smiled.

"I'm Mana."

The pale one gave a slight bow. "Kisara." She said softly. He smiled. They all looked very nice but there was something about Anzu that he liked. Guilt hit him square in the stomach. Already he was looking at another woman when Tey had died just yesterday afternoon.

"Hey."

He was forced from his thoughts as Anzu stepped forward. "Do you know where we can find a hotel of sorts?"

Atem felt confusion slither through him. "Uh . . ."

"Taverns, resort, bed and breakfast?" she continued on, looking at him like he was an idiot, and he felt like one too. He remained silent, very sure he still looked bewildered. Anzu snapped. "An inn? Lodging?"

Oh, she was looking for a place to sleep. "You could have said that." He muttered under his breath. He noticed that her left eye was twitching and her cheeks turned to an interesting shade of red before she snapped at him.

"I did! Maybe you're too old to hear shit!"

This time heat flooded his cheeks. "I am not old, I am twenty years old!" he growled. Anzu snorted and rolled her eyes.

"So what, still a young man as far as I can see." She sneered.

His core hardened as he stepped forward, eyes narrowing. "Has any young man you know watched as all four of his children die along with his wife?" he snarled. He expected her to back down but Kisara and Mana were slowly backing away, along with the cats . . . ?

Instead of her doing what he expected she did the unexpected, and got right in his face. "So you _are_ a man. I was starting to think you were pussy." Atem's jaw dropped. He didn't know this term 'pussy' but it sounded insulting, so it was no doubt an insult towards his gender. She gave him that cruel all-knowing smile that he could only associate with her even though he barely knew her. "In case you don't know what pussy means, it means I thought you were a woman. In fact, I was almost positive."

Atem heard something pop and snap. His hand swung out with lightning speed but her hand caught his, her strong fingers gripping it before she twisted his arm behind his back. Atem was now facing his shocked priests, his arm felt numb. Snarling her swung his leg out behind him, making her let go of his arm and land right on her ass.

He spun around with a grin of victory when suddenly his own legs were kicked out from under him. The moment he hit the earth she grabbed his hair and gave a good tug. "Ow!" he yelled and rolled them both until he was on top, straddling her as he forced her arms away from his head. Once he had caught his breath he sprang away and watched as she went back to her own feet, eyes narrowed dangerously.

Screaming she flung herself at him. Atem grabbed his dagger just as she was pulling out her own. The small but strong blades met above their heads, a spark jumped between the two daggers but it was as if some invisible source had trapped their weapons right there.

Anzu was putting all her strength into her weapon, trying to force this dumb ass wise guy to back down. She'd won every small 'battle' she'd had in school; no one could scratch her or hurt her too badly but with this guy it was a different story. It was as if he could read her mind or even worse, his abilities matched her own.

Atem's thought process was pretty much going through the same thing. This woman had skills that matched his own, and he was willing to bet that she liked to get the last word in a fight too.

She kicked him then, sending him to the ground. Called it.

He glared at her as she smirked and walked away, speaking in her odd language again. Atem spotted a fairly small, but big enough, rock. He picked it up and threw it at her. She yelled something and spun around, her eyes locking with his. She unclenched her hand that held two rocks, she hit him once in the arm and when she went for the second throw he'd already had his own rock.

They both threw the stones at the same time. Anzu could have sword time slowed down just for a second as she watched her stone collide with his; the forces acting on the stones smashed them into tiny bits and dust.

Atem and Anzu stared at each other in shock their effort to have the last 'word' had become a tie, which only made them both look childish. She snarled and turned away, muttering something under her breath. Atem stood up and spun around. Seto and Mahado were still watching him. "What?!" he snarled and headed back to the palace.

* * *

Isis and the rest of the priests were waiting in the throne room, all worried for their Pharaoh. A loud commotion made them all jump. Turning, they saw their king walking into the throne room, a dark look on his face and a dark aura surrounding his person. He walked up to the throne and sat down, not even acknowledging his other priests. She looked over to Seto and Mahado who looked to be in slight shock; as if they had seen something they never thought to see before.

"My Pharaoh . . . ?"

"What?" he growled.

"Did something . . . happen?" Isis asked carefully.

"No." he said tightly, never looking right at her, but she could tell that Seto and Mahado knew something. Isis was quite determined to discover what.

~o~

When their king retired for the night Seto and Mahado told them, everything down to the tiny little details. Teana was blinking rapidly before she turned to Isis. "I always thought that our king was a little bit in control of his temper when it came to such matters?"

Shada, Karim, and Shimon were still blinking in shock. Isis was slightly confused. The only time she had known Pharaoh Atem to become violent was with the death of his daughter but this was a far different side that she had not heard of. "I . . . I truly do not know what to say about this, and he let her go?" she asked.

Mahado nodded. "Yes. I think he did so because they both ran into a tie of sorts. No one had the last word."

Teana grimaced. "Something tells me that we will be seeing this black mood for a few days."

Seto actually had the nerve to grin at the thought of his cousin throwing small fits. "No doubt." He smirked.

* * *

Oh isn't it funny how love starts out sometimes? As far as I know, love has started for even stupid reasons, so I decided why not a childish fight between Atem and Anzu. I always wanted to write something like that so I got my wish, I made Atem look slightly childish. (Along with Anzu. Lol.)

Anywho, you all may be asking why didn't I write our ladies into the palace. That's because there should be a few more . . . childish fights. (Lol this is going to be fun.) For others, they might ask, "How are you going to make fluffies when Atem and Anzu are fighting?" Well, my answer to that... ;3 You all shall see. (Mwa ha ha ha ha!)

And just to be sure, and so I don't get sued, I again don't own anything, nor The Mummy Returns.

Thank you for reading! :D


	5. Such Devious Plans!

Hello everyone. So many things to do, so many things to say...(about what evil I have in store for this story.) The block has finally lifted and now my fingers are flying away at the keys, I just happened to update this story because I finsihed it first. Dragon Lords will be updated soon as I am almost finished with the next chapter as well. (yay!) So, this chapter takes place a week later as you will obviously see.

Disclaimer, I own nothing!

* * *

The Fountain of Time

Chapter 5

Akuktata was relaxing in a pool of hot steaming water. She sighed and let her fingers flickered over the water's surface. A cup of wine close at hand for a quick sip for a good reason. Atem had not taken up her offer to sleep with her. She was not ugly, this she was told every day, but something had set him off in a very black mood for a week. When she had heard of it, she went to him, offering herself once more but he waved her away, not even looking at her.

She snarled and threw the cup of wine from herself at the memory. Akuktata remembered the day she had actually met Atem. They had been young, he only twelve and she only eleven. Though they were not intimate until he had turned fifteen and she fourteen. A young age, maybe, but it was well worth it. Of course, when she turned fifteen and her prince sixteen, she'd received the shock of her life.

Atem was to be married to Tey, a poor excuse for a royal noble. It had shattered Akuktata's heart seeing Atem stand beside the pitiful looking Tey. They had shared glances throughout the night. When the party was over she ran to him, begging him to tell his father to change his mind. It turned out that Atem had already tried, only to fail. She had only been a girl then slowly blooming into womanhood.

_"No!" she sobbed and slammed into her Prince's chest. "Beg of your father, Atem. Beg of him!" she cried. His arms wrapped around her, holding her close. _

_ "I am afraid to say that I have already tried. He is firm in his choice, and I have to obey, for he is Pharaoh." He said, his voice thick with anger. Akuktata cried harder, she had been broken on the inside and now there was no way out. A scuffling noise alerted them that they were no longer alone. They both looked up to see a fifteen year old Tey, eyes wide with shock at the treachery before her. _

_ Akuktata, blind in her state of grief, lunged at the girl, slamming the small thing against the wall. "You may be his future wife but _you will never know_ the sheer amount of love that _we have_, that _you will never have_!" she snarled. Atem quickly pulled the two young women a part before Akuktata turned and ran._

_ "Akuktata!" Atem called. She did not pause and ran around the corner and waited . . . for him. To stop her from leaving, to tell her that he lover her, not Tey. Instead she heard fighting._

_ "Am I not your future wife?!"_

_ "You were the logic choice!" he snarled. Akuktata peeked around the corner to see a furious Atem glaring down at a nearly sobbing Tey. "My father picked you, I did not, and you would never have been my choice!" he snarled._

_ "Please-"_

_ "Why should I?" he demanded. "Give me one good reason why I should not put a scorpion or a cobra in your bed tonight!"_

_ The young Tey looked devastated now before she ran from him, sobbing like a child. Atem snarled and walked after her. Akuktata, still crying, wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to calm herself down, but his words could have easily done it. '_Tey was the logic choice, I am the choice of love_.' Akuktata thought with a girlish smile, bringing new hope within her soul._

She still held that hope to this day, that he still loved her. Of course now she had four sons, twins. It was a blessing, those boys were. Though she had gotten them from an old man, they were her world just as Atem was.

After the fight Tey had gone to the Pharaoh and told them all that she had seen and heard. Atem on the other hand had contradicted what his future wife told with the help of his lover. That day he had made his relationship known with Akuktata.

_"My son, is this true of what she says?" his father asked. Atem had rolled his eyes and glared at Tey like a scolding parent. _

_ "Of course not, Father. You see, the reason as to why I pleaded with you earlier about your choice of Tey as my future Queen was because I was, am, in love with Akuktata, who is just as good as Tey in status. When you gave the court the news she was heart broken, for you had not even let me the chance to tell her so that she could cry in private. So I went to her to try and calm her down when Tey had so rudely walked upon a very _private_," he spat the word. "Moment. As you can obviously see, Father, that Tey told all this in jealousy. I told her the truth, that she had been the logic choice you had decided for me while Akuktata had been the love of my choice, out of jealousy she added the last part."_

_ Tey's jaw had dropped at the story of half truths and lies. "That is _not_ true!"_

_ Atem's gaze zeroed upon his future bride. "Can you not see it?" he asked innocently. _

_ The court had grown deathly silent with the exception of Tey's sniffles. Many were looking upon a silently weeping Akuktata, pity in their eyes as slowly whispers started to fly. His Uncle, who was still alive at the time, leaned down and whispered into his brother's ear. Finally Atem's father rose from his throne. "I wish you would have told me this beforehand, my son but upon looking back I was forceful with you when I decided it." He turned to the shocked Tey. "As for you, Lady Tey, should I hear such accusations against my son I will be sure that you pay."_

_ Tey's lip trembled before she bowed. "Yes, My Pharaoh."_

_ "I cannot break the engagement. I have made a deal with her family."_

_ Atem bowed. "I understand, Father."_

It had been the one victory Akuktata had over Tey, and the message had stuck. When Tey passed on, Atem would have another to lean against, another to love more than she would ever know. So why was it that he turned her away? Could he not see that she wanted to comfort him, to put a smile on his face that was far more suiting then a scowl.

Something had happened in the four years that Atem and Tey had been together, something that made him forget that she loved him. Akuktata bowed her head and drew her legs closer to her chest and small silent tears fell from her eyes. "I still love you, Atem." She said softly to the air around her.

* * *

Atem had come out from his soak in the hot pool he had, his skin seemed to fizzle with the slightly cooler air around him. He was already regretting sending Akuktata away from him, he could use a little human contact right about now, but no doubt she was angry and would deny him.

A week had passed since he'd met Anzu and even when he would sneak out to seek her out once more, he couldn't find her at all, it was like she had disappeared from the village. Atem had also noted that Mahado and Seto had rather . . . dreamy looks on their faces, Mahado especially. He wondered if that girl, Mana, he believed that was what she had called herself, was the cause.

It made Atem smile. He'd never seen his old friend blush like that, it was a rather nice change from that almost always serious face. His cousin was smitten with the pale one, Kisara. In fact, pale blue was his favorite color now. Atem chuckled at the thought.

Anzu . . . what was it about her that made him want to be friends with her and yet no matter the strange pull that seemed to demand of him almost, her personality, much a mirror to his own, clashed so violently with his own. Perhaps their personalities were too much alike. He would not discover this tonight since for the week he had contemplated the same thoughts and had gotten no where with them.

He crawled into his bed, on his side and looked to where Tey had slept countless of times. Atem pressed his lips into a thin line before closing his eyes. "Why did you love me, Tey?" he asked, knowing he would never get an answer.

* * *

Anzu was sleeping in a tree. Yes, a tree because she wouldn't be caught dead upon one of those horrible excuses that inn called 'beds'. When she had searched through the room all she could find were jumping flees. Kisara and Mana rushed out of the room screaming. The man who ran the place had come up as Anzu pointed to the jumping parade on the floor.

They had left the inn and traveled towards the Nile. Even though they were TV shows, there was something she got out of those survivor programs. Smoke kept the bugs awake so with careful building, she found small, but a sturdy cluster of trees. They had gone into town and bought some sturdy fabric and made make-shift hammocks that were well off the ground.

With the help of her sisters Anzu had constructed a pit and collected things that would smoke. Minutes later they were sleeping in their new beds using the cloaks Bastet had gotten them as a blanket. The smoke was keeping away the bugs.

Yay.

A week. That was how long it had been since she'd seen the man who she fought with. She had managed to cool down and could see now that she had acted like a brat and Mana, man, she was gone. Anzu remembered when she had gotten a serious crush on a boy once; she'd looked in the mirror plenty of times to know that Mana was wearing the same dreamy look on her face.

A chirp from bellow made Anzu look down to see Tena curled up staring at her. Anzu smiled. "Good night, Tena. Watch for jerks, okay?"

The cheetah chirped once more before resting her head. Kasmut was resting under Mana's bed. Her sisters were fast asleep, protected by the smoke drifting around them. Anzu sighed and looked up at the sky. It still amazed her just how amazing the stars were. In her time, she'd gone to a lot of places where there wasn't a huge city, seeing the sky in all her full glory, but for some reason seeing it in the past, it looked so . . . magical.

Just yesterday before they went to bed, Kisara asked a question the prompted a deep thought conversation. What if they couldn't go back? It was a logical question anyone from the future would have asked. Mana suggested they could travel around and try and help the future discover the truth about the many mysteries. Anzu on the other hand thought she could be a teacher of sorts. She had always been able to retain information and who knows, she might be able to change something.

"Tomorrow." She murmured to herself as she closed her eyes.

~o~

The next morning Anzu was forced to wake up. Someone was poking her. "If you continue to poke me I will fall on you." She growled.

"Well then wake up!" Kisara said from bellow.

"Tell that to Mana."

"Hey, I'm awake!" her youngest sister said. Anzu peeked over to see them staring up at her, Mana pouting while Kisara was grinning.

"As if, for a whole week while we slept like monkeys you had this dreamy expression ever present on your face."

Mana's jaw dropped. "No I haven't!"

"Mana and her crush, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes love," Anzu sang.

"Then comes marriage." Kisara joined in.

Anzu happily completed it. "Then comes the baby in a baby carriage!" Mana's face was priceless lobster red.

"That-that's not true!" she squeaked.

"Ah, but you thought about it." Anzu grinned evilly.

"You're a horrible person!" Mana gasped. Anzu jumped down from her bed, still grinning.

"Ah, but you already knew that." Mana yelled and started to chase her sisters, trying her hardest to get back at them but they had longer legs and she was still painfully short.

"I'll get you one day!" Mana vowed.

"That's _if_ you grow!" Kisara laughed, causing Mana to chase her, leaving Anzu alone. Tena and Kasmut were watching from their sleeping spots, watching the whole 'fight' curiously. Anzu sat in between them.

"What's up, you two?" she asked as she scratched behind their ears. "By the way, Mana, Kisara." Her sisters stopped fighting. "I bought food yesterday." Anzu said, throwing a few gold pieces Bastet had supplied them. "Now it's your turn." Kisara nodded and grabbed the pieces and pulled Mana along. Anzu was about to head back to bed when a voice promptly stopped her.

"_You!_"

~o~

Atem decided to sneak out of the palace for some fresh air. It had been awhile since he'd done anything like that so it was a break from the norm. The Nile was peaceful this morning with a few boats dotting its surface for the fish bellow. The banks were clear of the crocodiles that liked to sun themselves as they waited for their next meal. A rare moment, but perfect for a walk.

Before he had slipped out he had put on a hood to protect his crown from view, he did not want to have to go back and explain things to his priests if he got caught. He frowned at the situation, which, he decided, was an embarrassment he wanted to avoid.

Voices ahead made him pause. He stopped and listened to the laughter that exploded from what sounded like a song, and then yelling. Then the noise had quieted so he took it as a sign that whoever had been there had left. Of course, when he stepped out from behind the stone he had been hiding behind he found his assumption wrong.

Anzu.

"_You!_"

He watched as she spun around quickly, eyes wide when they landed on him. There was a long and rather uncomfortable pause before she spoke. "Oh . . . umm, hi?" she said at last. Atem blinked. He would have thought her to be angry with him still. "About that fight, umm, sorry? I was rather childish about getting the last word in and . . . yeah. Sorry." She muttered twisting her brown hair around her finger.

Atem shrugged, trying to cover up his surprise. "It is fine." He said.

Anzu remained silent for some minutes before she spoke. "I never got to know your name."

"Atem." He said, without thinking and instantly regretting it. Everyone knew his name, and he proved correct when her jaw dropped.

"Are you freaking serious?" she screamed. He blinked and nodded, not knowing what to say. She marched up and smacked him in the head. Atem clutched the spot she hit and stared at her in shock. "Why didn't you tell me?!" she demanded. "I wouldn't have pulled that shit with you last week if I'd known who you were!" She groaned in her other language and started to kick up some of the dirt. Then, just as quickly, she turned and lifted his hood off, getting a great look at his crown.

Atem realized for the first time that he was only an inch taller then her . . . now why did that make him happy? He was about to ask her something when she took his crown off and started to look at it. Suddenly Atem felt slightly out of his depth here. She acted so casual around him, as if he was just a good friend and not the most powerful man in the kingdom. "Does this ever get uncomfortable?" she asked, putting it on.

Atem's brow rose. "Sometimes . . ." How strange . . . he rather liked it when she wore his stuff. Odd. "How does it feel to hold solid gold?" he asked.

Her brows rose this time. "It's solid gold? Wow, I figured I just see things like this through glass cases and pictures." Glass cases? What was she talking about? He had seen many glass objects as he was Pharaoh, but this woman looked to be of the middle class, not poor but not nobility either. Anzu handed the crown back to him. "So why is high and mighty Pharaoh doing out here?" she asked. There was no mocking tone, just curiosity.

"Just for a walk." He said. Anzu's brow raised as she looked towards the palace and back at him.

"That's some walk." She laughed. "Trying to find the beginning of the Nile?" she asked him teasingly.

"I have wondered." He said.

"I know the Nile has two beginning spots, the White Nile from Lake No in Sudan and the Blue Nile from Lake Tana in Ethiopia." She said in an offhand manner, making Atem pause.

"You know the Nile's beginning?" he asked, astounded. She shrugged.

"Sure. I know a lot about the world. I traveled all around it." She said. Atem felt his heart flutter with excitement. He may not have been able to escape his duties but perhaps she could tell him about what she knew.

"Would you . . . like to make a deal?" he asked slyly. Anzu looked over at him, eyes narrowed.

"I'm listening."

"You tell me about what you know, the world, basically, and I give you a place in the palace for you to sleep instead of these trees." He said. "I know the lodgings must be crawling with flees."

"How do I know that it's not the same in the palace?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"Because, with a simple spell, we keep the pests away. It's amazing what you can do with magic." He said. "So, do we have a deal?" he asked. Anzu watched him for a while before she grinned.

"Mind if I add just a few things on?"

"No."  
"Good. My sisters and I are above your commands. We don't listen to you or anyone in the palace." She said. Atem nodded. "Our privacy is number one; you break my trust it will be hard to earn back. We will be treated like royalty or near royalty."

"Is that all?" he asked, fighting to keep back the grin.

She blinked before she grinned and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Just two little things. Treat me like your best friend, your keeper of secrets, you could say and the last, allow my sisters to . . . see your friends." She grinned, wiggling her brows. "If you know what I mean."

Atem chuckled. "Playing the matchmaker?" he asked.

"What!? Me? Oh no, just looking for some memories and a few priceless moments with my sisters and their red faces."

Atem was beginning to think that he would get along with this woman quite well. "Anzu we got the . . ." a perky voice trailed off, making the two 'partners' look over to see Mana and Kisara staring in shock.

"Hey guys, meet my new friend, Atem. He's invited us to his palace as royal guests, isn't that cool?" she asked. Mana's jaw dropped while Kisara looked a little speechless. Then Kisara noted the evil gleam in both Atem and Anzu's eyes.

"Oh crap." She said softly.

Mana looked up. "What?"

"Those two . . . they're up to no good."

"You guys coming or what?" Anzu asked as she and the Pharaoh headed back down the Nile, Tena and Kasmut following them. Mana could now see the problem. Kisara was right.

They were up to something.

* * *

(Evil grin.) So, Atem loved Akuktata, she loved him, he had to marry Tey who he didn't really like but over the four years something chnaged, but does he still love Akuktata? Has she turned into this evil woman with no heart or is the little girl that seeked to find love still in there somewhere? And it seems Atem and Anzu have teamed up, oh no! The chaos is brewing! Mwa ha ha ha ha! Oh such questions only I can answer!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

(As for my other stories, _Dragon Lords_ will be updated next.)

Thanks for reading!

Have a nice day or night!


	6. The Teachers and The Students

LOOOK! I've updated! Yay! So, Aqua girl 007, you saw the other two pairings slightly rushed. I guess I didn't type the message I wanted to put out there. (But since I've never really 'crushed' on someone before I would really know how people act and so far as I've seen other react to crushing and reading characters who crush, they are described to have a rather dreamy face.) So hopefully that explains that.

Now, on to chapter 6!

Disclaimer, I own nothing!

* * *

The Fountain of Time

Chapter 6

Mana watched as they got closer to the palace. Anzu and . . . ugh, _Pharaoh_ Atem were talking in hushed whispers. Kisara had her scarf, clutching it in her hands with worry, something she always did when she was nervous. Something normal. It brought a strange comfort since it was something she'd seen Kisara do back in their own time.

What was waiting in that palace anyway?

'_You know he's there_.' Stupid inner troublemaking voice! Shut up! '_But he was so cute and you know your sister was right, you thought about him a lot_.' Enough! So what if he was cute looking and totally perfect looking and he had a really smexy body build and his blush was . . .

'_Sometimes I really don't think through things_.' She thought. So she had a crush on that guy but so what! It was a crush, and crushes went away . . . right? Right, totally, they could go away . . . but what if this crush was going to be harder to get rid of?

Oh nooooo…

"Mana!"

"Huh!" she squeaked and turned to see Kisara staring at her with a worried frown.

"You trailed off. I asked you a question and you didn't answer."

"Oh . . . umm . . . sorry?"

Anzu looked over her shoulder, eyes glittering still. "Who were you thinking about?" she asked innocently.

She wasn't that stupid to get caught in a trap question like that. "No one." She pouted. Why did she always have to do this? Mana knew she had made a perfectly good opening for Anzu to start digging at her but seriously, this was a little bit too much. "So what was this deal you guys made anyway?" she asked.

"Hmm? Well, Atem suggested that I teach him about the world and in turn for the interesting information he will let us stay in the palace as royal guests."

Kisara blinked. "Royal?"

Atem chuckled. "Yes, as though you are my sisters."

Mana hummed to herself thoughtfully as she thought back to what her mother had said about the Great Pharaoh Atem.

_"Pharaoh Atem or just The Great Pharaoh was young when he took the throne. He had one wife, Queen Tey. They had a total of four children, only one managed to live past her birth date, and that was Princess Ana, but she was killed by an assassin when she was only five weeks old."_

_ A younger Mana frowned. "That stinks." She said. Her two sisters nodded in agreement._

_ "Indeed. He managed to keep his wife alive through a terrifying war with a Dark Lord named Zorc."_

_ "These people had seriously weird names." A young Anzu said. "Who names their kid Zorc?" _

_ "The fashion of names always changed, Anzu. Even today." The girl rolled her eyes and shared a look with Kisara, who giggled._

_ "Anyway, back to the war. Lord Zorc sent one of his most powerful pawns, a man who called himself Bakura King of Thieves, to interrupt Pharaoh Atem's celebration after being crowned as the new King of Egypt. That event started up a whole string of battles. The first twenty or so Pharaoh Atem's priests begged that he stay where it was safe, and so he did. But one day, and this was actually recorded, he stopped playing it safe like everyone wanted him to." Linda said excitedly as she pulled out a paper and began to read. _

"_The Great Pharaoh was sitting upon his throne listening to a report on how many soldiers Egypt lost. My heart ached for those men for I knew that they were the sons of many families, fathers, and husbands. I could take no more when the Pharaoh stood up, his fists shaking as tears of righteous anger flowed down his cheeks. "_No more shall I hear_," he said, his voice shaking in grief and yet somehow he projected it throughout the throne room. "_The next battle will be one I shall lead. No one will stand in my way!_" The room was silent, but I could see how horrified the priests were but two stood by the Pharaoh and taught him all they could. They next time they walked into battle, the Pharaoh emerged victorious." Ani, Scribe of the Pharaoh." Linda completed._

"_How about we talk about China next, Mamma." Kisara suggested as she shared another look with Anzu._

"_Wonderful idea since we'll be going there soon." Linda said._

Anzu and Kisara had been thirteen at the time when Linda had told taught them about the Pharaoh. But she never mentioned if he had other family. "Do you have any siblings?" she asked.

He looked over his shoulder for a second for facing forward and nodded. "Yes. Two sisters, one brother. I was the first born; my brother Yugi was the second born, then my sister Atena and the last, Chaya."

Mana blinked. "Is it true?"

Atem paused and turned to her, stopping the small group. "What is true?" he asked.

"Like . . . the whole sibling rivalry for the throne? I heard somewhere that they can be . . . vicious."

"Mana! That's not something you just randomly ask!" Kisara scolded but Mana ignored her sister and continued to stare at Atem.

"It is true, but I do not have that with any of my siblings. They are all quite content that I sit on the throne. I do know that my Father and Uncle fought for some time before my grandfather, who was an only son, decided on my father."

"Oh." Mana said, finding that she couldn't really say anything to that. Atem continued on to his palace, talking to Anzu once more. Mana drifted back to her own thoughts.

~o~

Kisara was nervous and for a reason. There was more to this deal then what Anzu was saying. Her gaze flickered over to her little sister, but Mana was obviously in another world, thinking. Some other time Kisara would have teased her, asking why she would be hurting herself but the humor wouldn't come around this time.

She was kind of in the same place as Mana but she did a little better hiding it. That other man with those sharp cold blue eyes and brown hair. He'd been tall too . . . her type. Kisara bit her tongue, fighting to keep her blush in. Mana had never crushed on a boy, so she was rather out of it.

As the eldest sisters, they'd dabbled in the things sometimes called the birds and bees and giggled over it when they were younger. They'd had crushes before where Mana had not because Mana was . . . well, Mana. Kisara knew what she felt for the handsome stranger was a serious full blown crush. While Mana dreamed, Kisara dreaded because of one fact.

They were from the future and when they were done with whatever they had to do, they could go back to the future. If this was the 18th dynasty she could easily do the math. Three thousand years. Three _thousand_! If Kisara fell in love, it would possibly be the end of her poor little heart.

"Look you guys!" Anzu said excitedly. Kisara looked up and blinked. They were at the palace already. Atem chuckled and looked around before her slipped through a tiny door that one wouldn't notice unless you'd actually see someone slip through the small door. They followed suit and came out on the other side of the wall, inside the palace. "Is that like a secret door?"

Atem grinned. "I discovered it when I was but a boy, bored out of my mind."

"I bet." Anzu giggled and looked around in awe as she drifted from tree to tree, looking around in the massive garden and the small clear pool of water. "Look at the pretty water lilies, Kisara!"

Walking closer, she crouched down to look at the flowers. Pure white tipped with a bright reddish violet. "Pretty." She said softly, reaching out to gently touch one of the flower petals. Smooth and soft, almost like a baby's skin. Anzu stood and turned to Atem.

"What else do you have here?" she asked.

"A lot of things. I do not know everything that is in this garden, but just enough that I have to be appreciative the beauty of it." He said with a simple shrug. Anzu was off again, looking around while Atem watched her with a careful eye. Kisara wondered if he liked her.

She was about to ask when he moved swiftly and grabbed Anzu's waist, pulling her away from a cobra that popped out of a tree, its hood flared in warning, mouth and fangs only adding to the message. '_Oh . . . that must have been why he was watching her_.' She thought logically.

"Pharaoh!" Kisara looked up to see two guards jobbing towards Atem, looking a bit shocked. Atem and Anzu quickly parted.

"Yes?" he asked, his hands on his hips. It reminded Kisara of her mother when she would tease them.

The guards paused for a second before speaking. "The priests would like to know where you are." Kisara watched as he chuckled.

"Well tell them to look out the throne room balcony. I am not going anywhere." He said. The guards nodded and left quickly. Kisara looked behind her to see Kasmut and Tena sitting in the grass, basking in the shade happily.

"Hey, Atem?"

He looked over at her and gave her a warm smile. "Yes?"

"What about Kasmut and Tena?"

"They can walk through the palace and go wherever they like. It's up to them." He said. Kisara smiled and turned to the two big cats.

"Hear that, you two?" she asked. Kasmut yawned but her eyes sparkled while Tena got up and went to stand next to Anzu. Obviously Tena was going to stay glued to Anzu while Kasmut would go where she wished.

A shout from above made Kisara look up, dislodging her scarf, revealing her white hair. From above she could see six people looking down, and one of those people was very familiar. She couldn't see him all that well but she could feel his eyes.

* * *

The priests were nervous, and it increased when the two guards they sent out came back so quickly. Seto stepped forward. "Well?" he demanded.

"The Pharaoh said to look out the throne room balcony." He said, slightly confused with the command. Mahado was already heading over there first, since he had a hunch his king was in the garden. The rest followed and all looked down.

Bellow was their king . . . talking to someone? Mahado squinted his eyes and paled. "It's _them_!"

Isis blinked. "Who?"

"The young woman with the Pharaoh is the one responsible for putting our king in his black mood." He said grimly.

Shada hummed in thought. "So why is he standing with her right now, not fighting?" Mahado frowned. That was a good question.

"Pharaoh!" he yelled down, making everyone down in the garden to look up. The girl he remembered being very pale looked up, her scarf revealing her pure white hair. Mana, the young woman who had landed on him looked up from the lioness she was petting. Mahado unconsciously blushed. He quickly looked over to see Seto staring wide eyed at Kisara.

"Mahado, if you wish to talk you can always come down." His king yelled up to his priests before turning back to the woman who he had fought with, Anzu. They seemed to be talking to each other about something.

"Pharaoh!" Seto called down. The priests watched as their king's shoulders rose and fell for a moment.

"Yes, yes, I am coming up!" he yelled up. He turned to the two girls who immediately followed, the lioness not far behind while the cheetah stayed close to Anzu.

~o~

"So Anzu," Atem said quietly to his new 'partner'. "How exactly do you plan to get your sisters with my priests?"

"Names?" she asked. At first Atem had been confused by how she talked, but now it was getting a little bit easier for him to understand her simple questions.

"Mana landed on Mahado, he's a magician and Seto seems to only have eyes for Kisara."

"Hmm . . . a magician you say?" she murmured softly, then grinned. "Mana was told by a very special person that she had a lot of untamed magic in her."

Atem smiled. "Really, well, I believe we can both agree that teachers are . . . outside the deal?"

Anzu sent him a smirk. "Very much outside the deal. Kisara also has this powerful Ka that she doesn't know how to reach either."

"Seto is pretty good about training with the whole Ka area, in fact, he's probably the best one I have other than Mahado." With their plans already figured out, the small group drifted through the halls. Anzu wished she had a camera with her right now. Just to catch the wall art and show it to her mother.

Anzu looked forward when she noticed that the hall had changed to a large room. A really large room. '_This must be the throne room._' She thought, blinking. "Pharaoh . . ." she looked over to see a group of people. Four males, two of which she was familiar with, and two women. Whoa . . . and one of them looked like her, or an Egyptian version of her anyway. Hair just a little bit longer and she had this weird colored band around her head. It had red and green triangles. Four strands of hair were decorated with beads.

Pretty but she looked like a teenager, like, sixteen or something. She could stand to change the headband too . . . "Yes?" Atem said.

The other woman, older looking with a hawk like hood that covered her hair. "And these young women are . . . ?"

"New friends of mine." He smiled. "Is there a problem?"

"Of course not, Great Pharaoh." The bald one said. Anzu looked over at him for a moment. Cool tats, or maybe they were fake . . . well, she wasn't going to find out by touching his head. Yuck. All the priests looked slightly tongue tied.

'_Guess it's friends only_.' She thought. '_Good thing I'm a friend_.' She giggled mentally. Kisara and Mana shuffled their feet a bit, each were a step behind Kasmut. Tena was beside her. When she got back home she'd have to go to a zoo to see if all cheetahs liked her.

"Seto, Mahado." He waved them to step forward and they did so immediately. "Anzu has explained a few things to me about her sisters. Mahado, since you are my best magician, I leave you to train Mana's talent. A priestess had told them that she had a large amount of magic. And Seto, you managed to summon and identify your Ka the fastest, so I leave you to help Kisara find her Ka. Is that fine with both of you?" he asked.

They only nodded before saying simultaneously, "Yes, my Pharaoh." Atem grinned and turned to the girls.

"Teachers do not include the deal. So you have to listen to them." Mana's jaw dropped first as she sputtered in outrage before throwing Mahado a narrow eyed look. Kisara merely blinked and looked toward Seto. Atem clapped his hands together as he smiled. "Wonderful. Now I will personally show you three to your new rooms."

"Pharaoh!" The older woman said, making Atem turn to stare at her.

"Isis?"

"This deal? What do you mean by the deal?" she asked. Atem's brows rose as he and Anzu shared a look together before they grinned. "That is between Anzu and I." he said and left.

The priests watched the small group leave, slightly shocked, especially Mahado and Seto. Teana spoke. "They . . . they shared a look together as if they were . . . planning something."

Seto frowned. Yes, they had planned something, and already it had gone into play. "Those two are dangerous." He muttered under his breath.

* * *

Oh they certainly are dangerous aren't they! Lot's of things are going to happen now that Mana and Kisara are assigned to their 'teachers' *evil giggle* Many things I can do with them. Mana and Mahado's story especially. (This is going to be wonderful. mwa ha ha ha ha!) As for Kisara and Seto's story, something softer, with lots of fluffies to kill people and some embarrassing moments. Look at all these evil baby bunnies, they look ready to hope around already!

So, about Mana not having any crushes. To me she does have this cute flirty attitude, but then again, Mana's attentions, in my story at least, change rather quickly. I hope no one has a problem with that. : \

Thank you for reading and if you see something that bugs you, just tell me please!

Thanks for reading, have a nice day or night! :D


	7. Classes on the First Day

Hi everyone! I have updated once again, as you can see. :3 This chapter is all about Mana and Kisara's classes that will be starting out. I would like to thank _Aqua girl 007_ for pointing out the three thousand years to me instead of it being five thousand, thanks for that.

Now, as for people hoping that Atem and Anzu will get together soon, I'm just going to give you a little heads up that this will be realistic. Meaning over the span of two or three chapters they will not fall in love. With this story I wanted to slowly build Anzu and Atem's relationship with each other. So this story will be twenty chapters long. (or more, it depends on some stuff. cough*school*cough) So it will be a long story. (Yay!) My fingers, dead. Be grateful. Lol!

Soo . . . let's get this chapter started!

Disclaimer, I own nothing!

* * *

The Fountain of Time

Chapter 7

Anzu flopped down on the extremely large bed, extremely large as in, bigger than her mother's king size mattress, but despite its size, it still felt like lying on a cloud. Awesomeness! "This is the greatest bed I have ever rested on." She sighed. Mana and Kisara were standing in their sister's new room, slightly shocked. Kisara turned to Atem.

"This is Anzu's room? Like, no sharing?" she squeaked.

Atem grinned. "No sharing."

"Our rooms are going to be just like this?" Mana said, still gawking.

"Indeed."

Kisara fidgeted and nudged Mana. The sixteen year-old looked up and saw Kisara giving her a pleading look. Something she understood. "Uh, could Kisara and I share a room together?"

Atem nodded. "I see why not."

"Thanks." They bother murmured softly. Atem blinked before he smiled. These two were almost like the softer versions of his two sisters. Mana had her peppy side and yet there was something huggable about the girl.

"Your room is right across from Anzu's." he said. Mana skipped out the door to the other side of the hall and opened the door.

"Wow! This is so cool, Kisara!" He watched as Kisara left to join her little sister. Chuckling, he turned to Anzu.

"When will you start giving me my lessons?" he asked.

"Tomorrow." She said, sitting up. "But you have to get you royal duties done first. I'm not going to start a lecture and then suddenly someone comes in with something really important that you forgot to do." She said. "Also, where do you want me to teach?"

Atem paused before shrugging. "The garden sounds fine to me. It's always quiet there."

"Alright then." She said, stretching out as he left. Tena appeared then from out of no where and gracefully jumped onto the bed, purring as she snuggled up against Anzu's side. "He's hurting." She said after a few minutes slipped by.

"I was wondering when you would see that, Anzu." A very familiar voice said. Blue eyes looked into cat green eyes.

"Hello Lady Bastet."

The goddess grinned. "Anzu," she nodded her head in greeting. "I was wondering when you would see it, how long did it take you?" the cat goddess asked curiously.

"It took a while, but towards the end when he had to go to bed I noticed his eyes looked pained, as though he'd rather sleep with the servants than in his own bed."

The goddess nodded. "He still sleeps within the very room that Queen Tey died in."

Anzu made a face. "That's morbid shit." She muttered. "Hope you don't mind my deal."

The goddess's brow rose. "Yes, the one where your sisters would become the students of their . . . now what do you call them in the future?"

"Crushes?"

The goddess snapped her fingers. "Yes, with their crushes." She chuckled. "I find it will bring me great amusement while you remain here."

They feel silent before Anzu spoke again. "Did Tey like the garden?"

"Yes."

"Let me guess, she liked every inch of it and spent almost all her time there."

"You would be correct." The goddess said. Anzu groaned and punched her pillow.

"What a _fucking idiot_! Why did he agree to the freaking garden if it was so hard for him?! Ugh, I seriously doubt his logic." She muttered and reached for Tena's ear. "Do the people believe the earth is round or flat?" she asked the goddess in an off-hand manor.

The goddess snorted. "It is a sphere, obviously."

'_No shit Sherlock_.' Anzu thought sourly. "Okay. That'll make things a bit easier for me."

"Do remember that this is the eighteenth dynasty. In this time it is believed that the world is square."

"Never mind, did Atem grow up hearing this all the time?" she asked.

"No, his father wanted him to concentrate on other things." Bastet said. Anzu sighed and felt like hitting something. She was going to have fun teaching him.

"Before you leave to wherever you go, Bastet . . ."

"Yes?"

"Could you possibly wiggle that finger of yours around and make a space in the garden that's . . . Tey free?" The goddess blinked for a moment before she understood what the young woman was asking her to do.

"Yes."

"Thanks." Anzu yawned and snuggled under the covers. She was beat, tired, and her cheeks hurt just a little bit. Probably because she was grinning a lot but oh well. "Tena," she muttered tiredly. "You make a great foot warmer." The cheetah responded with a yawn and more snuggling. "I love you too."

* * *

Atem was deep in sleep until he was suddenly flipped from his comfortable bed. He looked up to see Anzu staring down at him, her eyes glittering with amusement. "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. Ready to start your kingly duties so we can get on with our lessons?"

He was still in shock. Never had he been treated this way. "I . . ."

"Come on, get up and get ready." She said. "Or do I have to strip you and dress you up myself?" she teased, hands on hips. Atem blushed and quickly got up as Anzu left. He quickly dressed, putting his jewelry on, and then grabbing his cape he left his room, slightly flustered. Anzu was waiting for him, leaning against the wall. He was a bit . . . surprised. It was a dress like his sisters wore, but there were some differences. The front was short cut to her knees while the back of the dress was loose and long. She was adorned in gold finery, making her look very much like a royal.

"I see the servants got to you." He said, making Anzu snort.

"Yeah, after they practically tied me down to get this stuff on." she said, pointing to her face that had makeup on. "So, since you'll be learning from me about the world, you teach me about being King." Atem blinked, a brow rising.

"You want to learn how to rule?"

"Sure, I've always wanted to know the lessons you Pharaohs of Egypt go through." She said as Tena, her almost ever present companion, came up next to them.

He nodded. "So be it." He waved his hand for her to follow and she did so closely. The palace was still half asleep, making Anzu feel just a little bit guilty.

"Did I wake you up too early?" she asked.

"No, I used to wake up this early but lately . . . the bed has been a little more comfortable than life itself." His words made her smile, a small tender one, as if she knew what he meant.

"Yeah, but that usually means something is pulling you to bed, in other words, depression."

Atem tipped his head to the side. "What is this . . . depression?"

"It's a condition almost anyone can get with the right amount of . . . things happening. You might be experiencing some minor depression but not something so serious."

"What are the symptoms?" he asked.

"No interest in the things you used to like, can't stand socializing, and the more like things." She said with a shrug.

"Pharaoh!?" a shocked and surprised gasp came from behind them. They looked over to see a slightly old man who was bald covered in white clothing. "Ah, Ani, how are you?" Atem asked.

The scribe walked up. "My Pharaoh . . . I have not seen you up this early since . . ." the scribe trailed off and paled before looking away. Atem sighed and placed a hand on the scribe's shoulder.

"I know, Ani. I am sorry for my absence." He said softly. "This, I am sure you have heard, is Anzu, the one who actually managed to get me up." He smiled. Anzu grinned and gave a small wave.

"Hi." She said.

The scribe gave his own smile. "Hello, My Lady." The scribe led the way into the room where he began to catch Atem up with how his people were doing. Anzu sat there silently, eagerly taking in the information. For a normal teenager this stuff might not be all that interesting, but for Anzu, this was something that had always interested her. The golden light of the sun made her look out the window.

She smiled. Mana and Kisara were probably getting up now, or they were already up.

* * *

Mana was still in bed, dressed while Kisara was taking a bath. The servants had shocked them both but it was a bit worse for her since she'd been in the bath before Kisara. Mana was used to bathing by herself with no one helping but getting passed the awkwardness of the situation Mana had found it surprisingly . . . relaxing. The servants loved . . . well, serving. It was obvious that Atem took care of his palace servants and allowed no abuse to them.

'_I would be happy to serve too if I was treated right._' Mana had to admit to herself. "My Lady." A soft voice drifted from behind her. Mana looked over to see three servant girls, they had to be only fourteen.

"Uh?" she said smartly.

"You need to be dressed before Priest Mahado comes to take you to his classes." Mana nodded and fought to hug the girl, seriously these girls were huggable.

Standing up, Mana merely held still like she did when taking a bath as the girls decked her out. Like the bath, really weird but at the same time oddly cool? Comforting? Something of a combination of the two she guessed. Once she was covered in the white fabric that felt like silk almost, the three girls started to clip on the jewelry. Cuffs, necklaces, and several rings now adorned her.

Mana was then sat down as one of the girls brought out a makeup kit. She mentally cringed. Sure, she enjoyed making herself pretty from time to time but she didn't put a lot of makeup on and that was what the Egyptians were known for, making themselves look pretty.

The girl, Abana, Mana had discovered her name, opened up the box. One of the girls pulled out a polished silver mirror while Abana pulled out a brush and carefully worked at her eyes, plucking hair from her eyebrows, and lipstick, which was thankfully a faint pinkish color. Abana, now satisfied, took the silver mirror from the other girl and gave it to Mana.

Mentally she gasped. Her earth green eyes popped now. Anzu had said that even a little bit of makeup could bring out the beauty in some girls, but the Egyptians had this makeup thing down considering they made her look like a supermodel of sorts.

Abana got up to opened the door when someone had knocked to reveal the Priest Mahado. Great, just what she needed. Looking pretty in front of her crush. Ugh! He blinked several times before he gave her a small smile. "Are you ready?" he asked.

_'As in ready to eat you alive? Totally.'_ She nodded and grabbed her wand that Bastet had given her. "Can I bring this?"

He nodded. "Yes, that way I do not need to provide you one." He said. Mana followed him, her insides shaking. '_Calm down, Mana_!' she scolded herself. Someone bumped up against her leg, making her look down to see Kasmut.

"Hope you don't mind Kasmut coming with." She said. Mahado looked over his shoulder and smiled.

"Kasmut may go with you if she wishes to."

Mana smiled brightly. "Thanks!" she said brightly, not noticing Mahado look away quickly. Why did his King have to put him up with this young woman? Atem knew of his slight crush on this girl and he knowingly put her with him. It was the same with Seto, of course, Seto was probably doing a few more things as he did not have a large amount of students to teach. "So, question." She said, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Yes?"

"If I have a lot of magic can it like . . . overload and hurt me?" she asked, her voice slightly shaky.

Mahado turned to her. He knew what she was asking but for someone of her youth to have that amount of magic to overload and harm her was . . . well, it was not impossible, but then again it was something that rarely happened. "Do you believe you have that much magic?" he asked.

"I don't know, that's why I'm asking you." She pointed out. Mahado paused before he sighed.

"I'll teach you some extra spells if you are that frightened."

"Thanks." She mumbled. By now she was hearing voices, girly voices. Mana looked up to see what looked to be aristocrat Egyptians. All girls and all very pretty. They looked to Mahado and Mana could easily see the dreamy obsessed looks, but one, obviously the leader, was not that easily distracted because her brown eyes flickered to Mana.

'_You could go back to ignoring me, you know_.' Mana thought. "Master Mahado," the leader of the group said in a very sickly sweet voice that was so obviously fake Mana felt like smacking the girl. "Who is this?"

"A new student of mine." He said and lead Mana to where the starters were. She easily connected to them and seconds later she was getting tips on how to help bring out her magic. One of the students, Samira, was already one of her fast friends.

"You are quite magic adept, Mana. I am surprised that the Seekers did not find you earlier."

"Seekers?" Mana asked, tipping her head to the side.

One of the girls answered. "They find potential magicians."

"Oh . . . so could someone tell me about those girls over there?" Mana pointed using her eyes. The girls seemed to know who she was talking about immediately.

"That is Maut." Samira said softly, but there was an angry look in her eyes. "She is one of the Royal Nobles."

"I thought there was only the noble class."

"The Royal Nobles are like a class above the nobles but not above the Pharaoh's command. Maut is being groomed by her family to marry someone important."

"It would be worse if she married Pharaoh Atem." All the girls shivered.

"I think she's going after Master Mahado." Mana said. The beginners blinked.

"Why do you think that?" Samira asked, naturally curious.

"Have you not noticed how she acts around him?" Mana whispered. "It's like a lion watching its prey. No offense Kasmut." She said to her lion companion who just yawned and went back to watching the people around her. The other girls blinked before they carefully observed Maut. A minute later they all looked away, pale.

"I . . . I did not see this . . ." Samira whispered. "But even if Master Mahado does see through Maut, he will not make her leave the class unless she does something . . . evil."

Mana sighed. "Well I hope she doesn't do anything to me. I mean, I haven't done anything to her." Samira looked away as the small group fell silent. Mana felt a chill go down her spine. Great, Maut was one of _those_ girls. "She already has done something, hasn't she?"

Samira nodded. "I was about to go into the advanced class, something Maut cannot even do, so she framed me by attacking herself with a spell. He believed her and I was set back a class."

Mana felt her eye twitch at the injustice and then she suddenly felt very sorry for Maut. She wouldn't say anything, but if Maut started bulling her and Anzu caught wind of it, there was no helping the girl, not even spells would keep Maut safe. It made her think about Robby Dobbs, a boy who had been an idiot enough to mess with her. Robby Dobbs decided it would be funny to steal her underwear and hang it in front of the school. Mana had been mortified that day, especially with the sign that came with it.

_'Nice underwear Mana Mazaki!'_

Kids laughed, but Anzu screamed in outrage, silencing everyone in the hallway laughing at her. When Anzu demanded to know who did this, Robby didn't even hide and the poor kid received the beating of his life. The principle was angry but when events were explained, Anzu only received three days of OSS while Robby got twenty days of OSS. It was simple to say that he'd learned his lesson.

Maut walked up to the small group and smiled, one filled with poison. "Mana, right?" she asked. "Would you like to join me for the evening?"

"Sorry," Mana said quickly. "I'm eating with Pharaoh." The whole room fell silent, Mahado was watching her with surprised eyes but Mana was only aware of Maut's angry glare.

~o~

"Why did you say that?" Mahado asked as they left the class. Mana walked away with a new beginner's spell book so she could practice and some new friends.

Enemies too.

Mana shrugged. "I . . . Maut doesn't feel . . . nice not to mention she was giving Samira some dirty looks."

"I do not blame Maut for that. Samira attacked her."

Mana rolled her eyes. "I don't believe that." She said confidently, back straight. Mahado stopped.

"You do not?"

"No, Samira . . . she was the first to open up to me, to help me with my spells. If Maut was as kind as you claim her to be, and I can see it in your eyes so don't lie to me, she would have stepped forward and helped me get situated."

Mahado blinked. It was a logical thought, there was no hesitance and Mana was serious. Over the course of the day he had discovered that the girl was naturally bubbly and always offered a smile, so he could tell that she was not throwing something out there just to get away from Maut. "And if you are wrong?"

She laughed; it was a surprisingly one full of sarcasm. "Please, let me tell you something. Where I come from, I've seen a lot of teens like her, and they all have one goal in mind."

"And what is that?"

"They want to suck a guy's dick."

Mahado chocked on his own spit. "Excuse me?" he gasped. He understood what she had said, what she had meant, but he wanted to hear it to believe it.

Mana gave him a horrified look. "Could you not tell?! She was practically rubbing up against you every chance she got; she was like a freaking cat in heat!"

Mahado rolled his eyes. "You just got here today and already you judge?"

"Judge?!" she screeched. "Judge! I'd call it observing." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to an empty room in the hall. Mana yelled to see if anyone was in the room, with no response, she pushed him into a chair. "Welcome, Master Mahado to the reenactment of your day."

She grabbed a blank scroll. "Act one! _Oh, I accidentally dropped a scroll!_" she sneered and dropped it right between his feet. Mana crouched down on her knees as she gave Mahado a sly smile. "So sorry, Master Mahado." She said in the sickly sweet voice that sounded a lot like Maut's voice. Mahado blushed heavily, suddenly those acts he had seen as innocent before when he was busy did not look so innocent when Mana did them. "Act two! _Oh, I tripped in your lap!_" Mana spun around, perfectly executing Maut's fall. When she landed in his lap, all she did was give him a shy smile that instantly had him scrambling to get up.

"Enough!"

"But what about the time she brushed her hand on your chest or your ass?" Mana yelled back. Mahado was at a loss for words. So far Mana had been correct in her reenactment of the young Royal Noble. Those acts and her past acts were suddenly right out there.

He took a deep breath and glared. "Enough."

Mana threw her hands up in the air, giving up, for now though. "Fine, be a stupid stubborn jerk!" she stepped on his foot and marched off, leaving Mahado to nurse his now sore foot. _'Worst part, I still like him! What. The. Fuck?!'_

Mahado was thinking much along the same lines.

* * *

When Mana had left for the rest of the day, Kisara, now dressed and cleaned, with some help, which was a different experience, she walked around looking at the walls, wondering what they said, what secrets were carved into these great walls. She was thinking about her classes she would have. Kasmut had followed Mana, leaving Kisara alone to her thoughts.

She found herself in the garden right by the small pool filled with water lilies. Sitting down, Kisara gave a gentle yank and pulled one out. She cleaned it, checked it for bugs and then put it in her hair, tucking it right behind her ear. _'Perhaps I could meditate for a while. Mother had showed me not too long ago.'_ Kisara thought as she crossed her legs and closed her eyes. Slowly she felt her body relax as her mind cleared.

There was a light flickering behind her eyes, something white with blue eyes maybe? Reaching further into herself, Kisara reached out for her soul, to find herself in this time travel mess she was in. It felt good, to kind of connect to herself again. She was so deep into meditating that she didn't even notice the approaching person.

~o~

Seto was slightly annoyed when he could not find his new 'student'. So he was forced to ask around until he heard the word garden by one of the servant girls. So he walked out to see Kisara, sitting there by the small pool with a water lily in her hair. She certainly looked like royalty but she was decorated in more silver than gold, matching with her pale complexion.

He walked forward and as he got closer he realized that she was meditating. Good, that was actually a good start to finding her Ka. Quietly he sat down in front of her, but not to close so he would not startle her. Her breathing was even and her posture was completely relaxed. That changed when her breath hitched a bit, making her eyes flutter open.

"I was wondering who was sitting in front of me." She said in that soft voice she had, one that he would only associate with her. "Hello, Priest Seto." She said kindly.

"Kisara." He nodded.

She paused for a moment before speaking. "So . . . what's the first step in finding my Ka?"

"What you were doing, meditating. Once you are able to connect to your soul room you will have a better chance discovering what your Ka is." He said.

Kisara nodded but found she couldn't meditate again. So she spoke. "What is your Ka?" she asked.

Seto shrugged and closed his eyes as a soft glow surrounded him. Kisara was surprised when a bright flash of light blinded her for a few seconds before it disappeared. Kisara looked up to see a very large figure of dark blue and black with oddly shaped wings. "This is Duos." Seto said. Kisara blinked several times before getting up and walking closer. What would happen if she touched him?

"Could I . . . touch him?" she asked curiously.

Seto nodded, not seeing a problem. Kisara touched Duo's arm. He felt solid like any other human and yet under the armor or skin, she couldn't really tell, she felt a hum of energy. She looked up to see Duos staring down at her, of course, she couldn't see his eyes which made it kind of creepy, his big sword wasn't making her feel comfortable either. "Surprised?" Seto asked after a while.

"Umm, sort of, I didn't expect him to be solid like a human." She said, turning to the priest. Seto stood up and Duos disappeared.

"It depends on the power and the will of someone. Your sister Mana, once she advances enough, will find her own Ka. You are in a slightly different position then her so it might take you a little longer to find your Ka then it will for Mana."

"Oh." Kisara said. "Does Anzu have one too?"

Seto nodded. "Of course, though considering her personality and abilities, it would probably be a warrior type."

Kisara tipped her head to the side and made a split second decision. She would flirt with him, just to see . . . "What Ka type do you think I have?" She watched as he blinked for e few seconds before he actually seemed to ponder her question.

"Something light . . ." it looked like he was about to say something else when he blushed and immediately scratched the back of his head. "Sometimes you cannot know what type a person will have." He said quickly. His embarrassment made her grin just a little. She was about to ask why he was so red in the face when a guard came up, probably to report something.

Seto sighed. "We have to cut this short, something is going on in the village and it seems I must take care of it." He growled. "Meditate." He commanded.

Kisara bowed her head. "Yes sir." She said softly and watched as he left. Since class was cut short, she went back to her room she shared with Mana. It took a while but she went back to meditating, trying to discover what this soul room Seto had been talking about when the door slammed open. Kisara squeaked and fell off the bed.

Peeking over she saw Mana huff onto the bed, Kasmut was with her, looking rather worried for the girl. "What happened to you?" Kisara asked in English, just in case someone was listening considering there was probably a lot of secret passage ways in this place.

Mana threw up her hands in complete frustration. "I was trying to make my new teacher see the real side of his pupil, Maut." She sneered at the name before flopping down on the bed, glaring at the ceiling.

Kisara could hear the anger and surprisingly, hate too. "Want to talk about it?" she asked.

Mana sat up. "I made this new friend, her name it Samira and she's really nice. Anyway, she was supposed to go into one of those advanced classes but Maut attacked herself and then blamed it on Samira, making her go back to the starter classes. Trust me, Kisara. If you saw this girl you would hate her just as much as I do and everyone else. I even believe her little group of followers hate her secretly too." Kisara blinked at the rush of information.

"Anything else?"

"Yeah, we have to have dinner with Atem because I told Maut, to get out of her invitation to spend the evening with her that, that I was going to eat with him and whatnot." She paused for a lengthy moment before speaking again. "Was that a stupid move?"

Kisara shrugged. "Nope, not to me. I would have probably done the same thing."

Mana sighed but paused when she heard voices, very familiar voices. Atem and Anzu. Both Mana and Kisara sprang up and opened the door just before the two passed. Of course instead of stopping the two, they ran into them.

* * *

Atem had gone through and interesting day. From going to hear about his kingdom, teaching Anzu how to read his language and then being told that the world as he knew it, was actually round, not square. At first he didn't believe her but when she started to explain things carefully to him, the pieces of what she was saying fit into place. She then taught him about the continents, while grumbling that they might be in different positions then what she was used to knowing, which prompted the conversation about the world, Earth, as she liked to call it, being alive.

It was all so interesting, but oddly enough, some of the things she said made sense. She also showed him where Egypt was located using a toy ball with strange lines drawn on it. It shocked him just how small his world was compared to the world she was showing him. He had always been aware of the countries he traded with like Mesopotamia and the Nubian people, but he had no idea just how small they were. His world had been opened up, and was now expanding rapidly thanks to Anzu.

The lesson had happened in the part of a garden he'd never seen before, a place that didn't have Tey's touch of hand in the planting of flowers. It had lightened his mood considerably.

As they drifted through the hallways they were in no way prepared when the door to Kisara and Mana's room was opened up and all four of them collided and sent to the floor, Anzu and Atem staring at Kisara and Mana in shock while the other two did the same thing. "Wow . . ." Anzu said. "Umm, I was only gone for most of the day you guys, no need to go crazy."

Mana scrambled over, still on the floor to sit in front of Atem. "Sorry, but uh, I need to ask for a favor."

One of Atem's brows shot up. "Yes?"

"Can we have dinner with you?" She asked. Atem and Anzu shared a look before turning back to Mana.

"Why?" they asked together.

Mana sighed and pulled them into her room and explained her day. Atem of course understood immediately when she mentioned Maut. "I personally don't blame you for it." He said. "Maut it spoiled. Her father is my cousin from my father's side. I did warn him and so had Itet." He sighed.

Kisara blinked. She'd heard that name before. "Who's Itet?"

"My father's sister. She was my grandfather's only daughter and since he only had three children in total, he made sure they were all educated before letting them out in the world. She is well forgotten by most people but those looking for a way into the royal family know her and her importance. Thankfully her husband is not all that interested in taking the throne."

"Is all your family like that? They just leave you to do the leading?" Anzu asked, finding it slightly unfair.

Atem shrugged. "I was young when I defeated a power hungry lord, I then brought people into a golden age and that tends to make people rather happy with their Pharaoh."

Anzu growled. "And it also puts the weight of running a land on a young man's shoulders."

"Life." Atem said. "I actually like it. It gives me something to do and I enjoy the political games. No one has beat me in a game before, in which I received my other title, King of Games, so things got boring but when I was introduced into politics, it was like an endless game. I would like to trade with this country but how do I do that without angering another country which I have traded with for a long time? Endless possibilities and situations that I must think through." He said.

Anzu blinked. She'd always wondered, out of sheer curiosity, what made a good king, a good king. She'd gotten her answer without having to ask. Someone who looked at both sides and carefully plotted out how to do the things he had to do. Her mother had said there was a reason the people had given Atem the title of Great Pharaoh, and this was why.

She leaned back and sighed. "Well, right now we have to play dinner politics, so I would suggest we get to work on that." She looked at Atem. "Time to find out what your cousins like to eat."

Atem nodded. "Family politics." He groaned. "Yay."

Anzu elbowed him with a grin. "At lest you have us to keep you company."

He smiled. "True that."

* * *

So now we have Maut in the mix of things who seems to like Mahado. Kisara will get an enemy of her own, not to worry. Oh this is going to take some time.

I actually had this chapter done two days earlier but I was waiting for someone to update their stories. (You know, just to let someone update their stories before I update again, to kind of share. I know, I'm weird but that's just me.) But no one updated so I was like, "well okay then..." I hope you guys loved this chapter very much and I will work to start on my next chapter!

Thank you for the reviews! You all make me feel so giddy! :DD

Have a nice day or night, see you next time!


	8. Dinner

I have it up! Yay! *jumps up and down* I had a lot of fun with this chapter, (for obvious reasons soon to be read.) Soooooo...

a romance lover: Yes, why do I make suspisios characters? Well it's obvious! To make you fall off your seats and pull out your hair! Lolz! (No, just kidding, haha.)

As for my new ninja guest, in this chapter there won't be any SetoxKisara for this chapter but I promise there will be much flirting in the next chapter. (Along with Kisara's enemy.) And of course, welcome Crimson Star. :)

Disclaimer, I own nothing.

* * *

The Fountain of Time

Chapter 8

Maut was in her room, glaring at the wall in front of her. She was thinking about Mana, the new student. How dare that little brat just come in and deny her invitation. Of course, she was supposedly eating with her first cousin once removed. Pharaoh Atem. How was that even possible? How was it that someone like that little bitch had gotten the honor to even lay eyes on him?

"Maut."

She turned to see her grandmother, Princess Itet. A serious woman who bent to no one with the exception of Pharaoh, Maut had looked up to her grandmother secretly. To have such an iron will and received looks of pure awe wherever she walked . . . that was what Maut wanted to become. But there were several things that separated them. Her grandmother had been raised as a royal princess while she was merely a Noble Royal, last in line for the throne. "Yes, Grandmother?"

"We will be having dinner with Pharaoh, be ready." She said before turning around and slipped away through the hall, silently and gracefully.

Maut grinned. "We shall see if you are there after all, Mana." She growled. Maut walked towards the place where the family usually bathed. She clapped her hands, summoning ten girls, each holding large buckets of steaming water. Maut stepped on to the square slab of limestone after she stripped of all her clothing and jewelry.

Five girls left to grab her new clothes she would be wearing while five remained, four slowly pouring the hot steaming water while the single girl washed away the dirt and grit on Maut's body. Once the water was out and done, the girls grabbed the soft linen towels, patting her dry.

They then lead her to a table draped in the linen towels. Maut climbed up and lay down and rested her head against a soft pillow, letting her thoughts drift away while the servant girls rubbed good smelling creams and soothing oils into her skin.

Why, she wondered, was she so angry at the new girl's presence? Mana was no where near her status. Maut smirked. There was no reason. Why even stress over a little nobody? Maut closer her eyes and put the new student out of her mind. She probably just lied about eatting with Pharaoh anyway.

* * *

Atem walked into Anzu's room. He was trying to locate her at the moment but he was finding that to be a rather difficult task. When he found the room empty he was about to turn and leave when something caught his eye, stopping him. On her desk was a large amount of drawing tools

Atem stepped closer and nearly stumbled backward. It was himself on the throne room balcony staring out into the world with a dreamy look on his face. He remembered that moment in time as well. Anzu had disappeared from his side for an hour or so, leaving him bored so he had drifted outside on the balcony. He picked up the papyrus carefully, getting a closer look at the drawing. He could have sworn he could see it breathing, as though it could jump off the papyrus any second now. He put it down and discovered even more drawings.

Some of his palace guards, standing straight, some were even in movement, walking somewhere. He was shocked to see that some of his priests were in the pictures. How had she found the time in maybe two hours to draw all these people? He was so deep in thought that he didn't even notice that someone had come into the room.

~o~

Anzu walked into her room, certainly not expecting to see Atem looking at her drawings. It made her blush brightly. Back in her own time, she was always so possessive of her art, not wanting anyone to see them. So to see Pharaoh Atem looking at them made her feel slightly giddy and at the same time scared.

What if he didn't like them? What would he think of her to see such art when it was absolutely nothing like the art he saw everyday?

Shaking her head, Anzu cleared her throat, making Atem look up. He blushed brightly but he did not drop her work. "Is there a reason you're in my room?" she asked.

Atem finally put down one of her drawings. "I was looking for you, wanting to know what you liked to eat when I thought I had stumbled upon a mirror of myself." He held up the drawing she had got when she had spotted him day dreaming.

She scratched the back of her neck, blushing lightly. "They're not that good." She muttered. Sure, she'd taken professional art classes since she was ten but that didn't mean she was a pro, well, not yet anyway. If he wanted to see some amazing things she would have gone back to the future and come back with a picture her art teacher, Mrs. Phipps, drew. Now that shit was amazing.

Atem chuckled. "I beg to differ."

'_Of course you do! Art changed lots between three thousand years or so._' She thought sarcastically before mentally snorting. '_He should hear the music too. Wouldn't he be surprised?_' "Whatever." She said quickly and took the drawing and put it back in the massive pile. "So, what did you come in original to ask me?"

"Dinner, what do you like to eat?"

"Fresh fruit." She said. Atem nodded and was about to leave before he got one last glimpse of the image she drew. She could have sworn she saw a small smile. "If he dug a little bit deeper he probably wouldn't be smiling at all." She said to herself.

Because at the very bottom was a simple sketch of a woman that one of the servants had described was Queen Tey with a small little girl who was smiling brightly and right behind them crouching down with a gentle smile on his face was Atem. She pulled it out and looked at it again. She'd shown it to her servants and asked them if this is what Tey and Ana had looked like. Since they all started crying at the same time, Anzu had to guess that she'd gotten the images correct. Sighing, she stacked her drawings in a neat pile before placing the one of the royal family at the bottom again. "How many days have you cried alone, Atem?" she asked the air softly before she left to get ready.

* * *

Yugi was with his two younger sisters, Atena and Chaya, both chatting excitedly and he could not blame them. Atem rarely ever threw a family dinner party so when the three siblings received the invitation they jumped at the chance. He looked over to see Atena's smile turn into a frown. "What is wrong?" he asked.

Atena licked her lips before sitting down on one of the many seats Yugi had in his home. "It will not be the same without Tey. She always managed to get Atem to agree to the family dinner parties. If this is his way of remembering . . ." Atena sighed.

Yugi looked at the floor. He worried for his brother quite a bit these days. The infamous black mood that Atem had for a week was something Yugi had never seen in his brother before. "Perhaps he is just trying to reconnect to his family, Atena."

"Maybe." The young woman muttered.

Yugi sighed. "Come on, we do not want to be late." He said. His sisters followed closely. They walked to the palace since the noble homes were merely outside the palace walls. Yugi was grateful to this that his brother had given him a home outside the palace where he had been cooped up all his life.

"If it is not my favorite nieces and nephew." A warm and familiar voice said. The three siblings turned to see their Aunt Itet looking her finest with her two sons, Nekure and Re'emkuy. Maut, Nekure's only daughter followed closely. Yugi grinned.

"Aunt Itet, did Atem send you an invitation as well?"

"Indeed he did." She said. "Though I cannot help but wonder why. He has never liked such parties." The two groups converged together as the headed up to the palace walls. The guards stationed there bowed low and opened the doors just enough to let the group in before closing it.

Yugi smiled at the familiar surroundings. Atena sighed and stretched out her arms. "It is so nice to come back and visit sometimes. I always enjoyed the peace here." She said. Chaya nodded and was about to say something when a yell went up and a loud splash of water broke the silence.

* * *

Anzu was sitting around one of the rectangle pools that Atem had outside in the courtyard. The same lilies that she had seen in the garden pool floated on the clear water, tiny water droplets that sat upon the soft flower petals making them seem to glitter almost.

What would it be like to be a flower, she wondered briefly. To bloom beautifully for all to see and then slowly die but then to slowly grow beautiful again with the shifting seasons, such ability almost any woman would want to have. But then again, woman did have that ability. Anzu smiled as she remembered this old woman she'd once seen. She was old and wrinkly, smelling of baby powder, the typically clichéd old lady. But even when old age slowly claimed her, Anzu could have sworn that every time that woman smiled she seemed to turn on a light, making her glow brightly.

She even stopped and tugged on the old woman's skirt to tell her that she was very beautiful. In return, she got to see that amazing smile again and a gentle thank you before the woman disappeared into the masses. '_I bet she's a beautiful angel as she was alive._' Anzu thought.

"You are very difficult to find when you need to be found, Anzu." She looked up again to see Atem smiling, his eyes glittering with laughter.

She shrugged. "It's not my fault." She said. "So what does the Great Pharaoh want with me now?"

"I am here only to inform you that you are wanted by your servants so they can bathe you once more."

Anzu made a face. "Again? What is up with you people?" she asked.

Atem chuckled. "I am sure you would have taken multiple baths if you were meeting someone important."

"Oh." She said. When he put it like that, yeah, she would have. "But I'm at least going to get dirty or something, just to give me a reason to bathe again." She grinned. "How about you? Do your servants require you to have another bath?"

He chuckled. "Even I am not excluded."

Anzu smirked. "Wonderful, now if you'd help me up." She held out her hand for him to take. Atem took her hand, not expecting to be pulled forward, so when she tumbled backwards, he was brought with her. He yelped with surprise and hit the cool water. When he came up for air he blinked a little. Sitting down, the water lapped at his chest, the lilies that had been ruffled a little bit due to the splash slipped back into place. Something was missing.

Anzu.

He looked around in the water and stopped when he noticed that right under one of the lilies was a large shape, only half her head was shown, the water hiding her nose and the rest of her body, leaving her bright blue eyes sparkling with laughter. She came up so she could speak. "Got you."

He blinked until finally he could not contain the laughter that was now bubbling up his throat. It started with a chuckle before he gave in trying to contain it. She then splashed him in the face, being careful at the same time so that she didn't bother the water lilies too much.

He gasped but retaliated and suddenly both fell into a splashing war in which it seemed that no one would win. Both laughing. Atem had not felt like this since he was but a child with his own siblings. Finally Anzu stood up and used her long legs to kick water at him. He raised his arms to block the attack before he tackled her.

Anzu squeaked in surprise as she hit the water once more. They parted quickly and went back to sitting. They stared for a few seconds before they exploded. Atem felt his eyes sting with tears, his sides were hurting a bit, but it was that good hurt that came with laughing too much. He finally opened his eyes and saw that right behind Anzu was his family, staring in shock. He could not blame them since last time they had seen him he had been a grieving man with a dark aura that surrounded him.

He stood up to greet them but Anzu's leg shot out, tripping him again. He laughed, finding that he just could not stop.

* * *

Yugi and the rest of his family followed the sudden noise, knowing they could not just ignore it. They expected to see a poor servant girl who had been tripped into the rectangle pool to probably avoid a cat since there was a Bastet temple in the area, what they did not expect was to see their Pharaoh just sitting in the water obviously searching for something. Yugi watched silently as a head popped up out of the water and a female voice rippled through the air. "Got you." Yugi could hear the laughter in her voice.

Then a strange sound filled the air, a sound he had not heard since Tey's passing. Atem was laughing and it was not the laugh that had been without humor, it was just simple happy laughter. The woman must have moved to her knees because the rest of her torso appeared and in one swift movement she had splashed his brother, making him gasp before he returned the splashing.

Yugi watched as a splashing war exploded in the rectangle pool, the two still laughing. They continued for only what seemed like a few seconds before the woman stood and kicked some water at Atem. Her wet dress clung to her. Yugi noted that though she had a healthy golden glow she was not tan like Atem. Her brown hair was matted down and he had to say, she was pretty. '_Is she a noble?_' he thought curiously.

She kicked again but this time Atem raised his hands to defend himself from the water attack before standing up and tackling the woman who squeaked before falling back into the water. "My, my." Itet said, but Yugi could detect amusement in her voice. It was obvious that she was enjoying this side of Atem that seemed to have been lost when he had become Pharaoh.

They came up quickly for air, silent for only a second before they laughed. Yugi was fighting his grin that begged to creep out. The laughter was infectious, and all he wanted to do was join them. Atem finally calmed down just enough to notice the small group. Yugi watched as he attempted to get up but he fell down, the woman had obviously tripped him and once again Atem laughed.

This time he backed away before he stood up, probably to stay out of tripping distance. He smiled. "Hello, Yugi, everyone." The woman turned around then. Yugi took in her blue eyes of sapphire that still glowed with laughter.

"Hi." She said. Open, friendly, nothing like the cold 'friendly' nobles Yugi had come across repeatedly.

Itet walked forward, eyeing both Atem and the young woman. "It seems you are enjoying yourself, Atem."

He grinned. "I am, Aunt." He got out and turned to her. "I would hug you but it seems I am wet." He chuckled.

Itet's eyes narrowed as she held in her own laughter. "I can see that." She said before turning to the young woman who was now getting out. "And you are?" she asked.

The woman smiled. "I'm Anzu." She said. Yugi blinked at the odd name but he shook it off. His own name along with Chaya's was different. She leaned over and squeezed out the water in her dress before giving Atem a lopsided grin. "I guess I'll go take that bath now." She laughed and walked away.

Yugi walked a little bit closer to his brother. "Who is she?"

Atem turned to his little brother and smiled. "Anzu."

Yugi shook his head. "Not that! I meant who is she to you? Are you . . . interested in her?"

Atem burst out laughing. "No, of course not. She's just a good friend I made a deal with, that's all." He chuckled. "She has two other sisters, they are just as nice as she is." He said. Before looking down at himself. "Now if you will excuse me, I believe it is time for me to clean up."

Yugi watched his brother go back into the palace and once gone, he turned to his Aunt. "Now why is it that I do not believe in him one bit?" he asked.

Atena came up beside them. "Because we just saw him laughing like he used to before . . ." she trailed off, but everyone knew what she would have said.

Nekure walked forward and in front of them. "Or perhaps he is telling the truth and Anzu is a friend and we are all standing here over thinking." Itet sighed.

"When did you become so wise?" she asked her son teasingly.

Nekure looked over his shoulder and smiled. "I am your son." He said simply and continued on. The rest followed suit.

* * *

Kisara looked down at herself. She had informed the servants that she wanted plenty of leg room so she could walk around easily, what they had come back with was like a wedding dress train. Now she was contemplating on cutting the long train off so no one would possibly trip her.

"Wow, who made you the bride?"

Kisara jumped and turned around to see Mana standing there in her own dress with the tale tell signs of someone carefully cutting through the fabric. "You cut it?"

Mana pouted and crossed her arms, looking away. "So what? I don't like them long."

"Yeah." Kisara said dryly. "You like them short and cute so you can tempt men into raping you."

Mana blinked and looked down. "I cut it to my knees . . . kind of like how Anzu had hers before she slipped into the water today." Kisara stood back and looked over her little sister. Then again, she was right; it wasn't too short that it would suggest something.

"I guess its okay." She said.

Mana grinned happily before looking over Kisara. "All you're missing is something blue!" she joked.

"Huh?"

"Something old, the necklace you have around your neck, something new, the dress, obviously. Something borrowed, Anzu did give you those silver earrings she actually managed to bring with her, and all you need is something blue." Mana paused for a moment before she gave Kisara an evil, evil smile. "Well . . . you do have Seto's blue eyes so I guess that counts." She giggled.

Kisara blushed brightly before she went after her little sister. Though Mana had short legs, she was a pretty fast girl. The door opened then, causing them both to stop as Anzu stepped in, all cleaned up and dry. "You guys look so excited. Ready to go?"

Mana groaned miserably. "I don't wanna!"

Anzu tisked. "And what would Maut think?" At the sound of the name Mana started to grumble but marched out of the room.

"She looks ready for war." Kisara said.

Anzu laughed. "I guess it would be war for her, considering Maut is liking on someone she happens to like."

Kisara grinned before she paused. She couldn't help but think about the time in the garden when Atem had pulled her away from the cobra. Now that she thought back to that moment, he had kept her closer for maybe two seconds longer before those guards came. "Do you like Atem?"

Anzu laughed and gave Kisara an odd look. "Sure, as a friend only, Kisara. I'm not here to become his future wife."

Kisara snorted as she rolled her eyes. "I've seen a lot of people who claim the same thing and you know what happens?" Kisara challenged.

"What?"

"They end up getting together and living happily ever after."

Anzu blinked before her eyes narrowed and hardened coldly. "Kisara, I won't force my ideas on to you, but there is one thing I know of, something that hasn't failed me. There is no such thing as a true happily ever after, there never will be. That's not how life is." She said, her voice brittle with anger. Kisara frowned and was about to tell her that it wasn't true, that there could be happily ever after but Anzu had left, shoulders stiff.

Kisara sighed and wondered what had happened to Anzu. When she was a young girl she shared the dreams of being a princess with Kisara finding their prince. "What changed, Anzu?" Kisara whispered.

* * *

Anzu was sitting at the table early playing footsy with Tena, who was enjoying her butt rub. '_And here I thought only dogs liked butt rubs_.' She smiled. Anzu rested her head on the table and let her thoughts drift to what Kisara had said.

True love, a happily ever after . . . how could anyone believe in that anymore? It was only in stories that those things ever happened and what was the chance that she would love a Pharaoh and he would love her? No chance whatsoever. Footsteps made her look up to see the devil himself, Atem. "You look upset, Anzu." He said.

She paused for a moment before she looked up at him, still with her head down. "Do you believe in true love?" she asked softly.

Atem looked at her and he could see something so sad within her, as if she had held something in for so long was finally seeping out. He felt something flutter in his chest. "Once, I did." He said, sitting down in front of the table where he was supposed to sit. "Actually, I still believe it, but only to a point." He said.

Anzu finally sat up. "How so?"

"I found love and she is still dear to me, but I was forced to marry Tey, I did not love her as I did . . . 'love's choice'." He said softly. "But it was more of a learned love with Tey. As she held my children and tried so hard to bear them with the exception that only one lived only to die, I started to protect her. With every child she had I began to see a courage I had not seen before. I do not know how any mother can go through life, having four children and all of them dying. It is beyond me." He said softly.

Anzu blinked. "So who is love's choice? Why aren't you with her now?" she asked.

"I was with Tey for only four years and yet in that short amount of time I learned of a different kind of love. Sure, I may not have liked it but it was still there and I could not risk insulting her family. So slowly I learned to love and it only made me so much more aware of my love's choice. It made it so painful to think about her, the life I could have had with her, and so I forced myself to love Tey."

Anzu remained silent for a moment before sighing. "You could go back to whoever she is now. I mean, yeah, you had to do some things you didn't like, but Tey isn't here to stop you now. There is no one to insult now."

Atem blinked before he smiled. "That is very true." He said softly. Anzu watched him carefully now, noticing that his eyes hid some kind of pain. She was about to ask him about it when the doors opened and her sisters came in.

Kisara happily skipped to her place at the table, which was right by Atem. "Everyone is coming. I think they were looking at something." She said, explaining as to why they weren't already here. Atem nodded.

"They are probably looking at the designs for the new temple of Ra." He said, frowning slightly. "I should probably make a few slight changes so it is at least close to the original temple."

Anzu blinked. "Isn't that what you and your scribe were talking about today earlier?"

"Yes. I need to get building it soon. The Bastet Temple was completed some months ago." He trailed off, returning to his thoughts on his plan of building. Anzu wondered if that was the reason the cat goddess was helping out. Her temple was fixed; she was technically in power at the moment without any other powers mixing in.

"How long will it take?" she asked.

Atem hummed. "Probably five to ten months, more perhaps depending on the weather."

'_So we have five to ten months, more if the weather is in our favor, until we leave._' The doors opened once again and the group she had met outside had walked in now. One looked a lot like Atem, but he had an innocent look to him. Two young women stood behind him. One looked to be a female version of Atem and the other was probably the one who stood out the most. She had blond hair, not the traditional black. The Aunt, two more men and then . . . so this was Maut. Anzu gave them her best innocent smile look. "Hello again." She said brightly.

The Aunt, Itet, Anzu remembered, looked over at her and gave her the slightest hint of a smile. Aw, come on, smile, for real! Itet looked like a woman who smiled, loved her family openly. Atem stood with a smile.

"I would like to introduce Anzu again and her two sisters, Mana and Kisara." He said. Anzu watched the family carefully, and judging by Maut's shocked looks, she had not been expecting that. '_I wonder what she was expecting_.'

"So these are the mystery girls I've been hearing about from the palace servants that come visit me from time to time." Itet said softly as she sat down at the overly large table. Anzu relented that it probably had to be big if Atem ever threw any big parties. "So tell me, Anzu, where do you and your sisters come from?"

Kisara and Mana froze. Anzu frowned slightly. That had always been a touchy subject for Kisara because no one, not even their mother, knew of Kisara's origins. Still, she plastered on a smile anyway. "Well, if you want our origins each, I was born to my mother across a large amount of water, far away from this place." She was telling the truth, just not all of it. "My mother likes to travel so she often left and wouldn't come back for months at a time. When she came back from one of her expeditions she had brought Kisara with her from an orphan house in Ierissos."

Atem blinked. That, as far as he knew, was not a city he had ever heard of and because of politics and his father always pushing him to do better, Atem had memorized everything he could, another reason as to why he was slightly respected by most of the Greeks he met occasionally, he could name even their smallest towns and countries.

Anzu took in the sudden silence and realized she'd made her first mistake. Ierissos did not exist at the moment; in fact, the name hadn't even been brought up and wouldn't be for a long time.

A really long time.

"Uh, I mean Acanthus." She said quickly. She was going to have to thank her mother when they got back to the future for beating all the information into her. Itet nodded this time while Atem now seemed to understand what she was talking about. Safe! "Mana is a local here. From what my mother described she had found Mana in the desert hiding. She deduced that Mana had gone to hide by the orders of her real parents so she would not be taken by bandits, but she only guessed so none of us are really sure." That was actually the truth. Linda had found Mana hiding in the desert, for what reason, the young Mana had not told.

Both of her sisters had come back, each speaking a different language with slight accents but over time they quickly learned English and soon their fist languages had been forgotten.

Itet was obviously not done picking and poking. "So you are not truly sisters?"

Anzu felt her heart harden, her eyes narrow dangerously. She did not like it when people pointed that out, no matter how innocent it was, it still hurt Kisara and Mana even today, and that was not something Anzu stood for. "Make no mistake," she growled, making everyone freeze. "They. Are. My. Sisters." Why was this so hard for people to understand? Sure, not by blood but by bond.

Itet blinked slowly. Outwardly, she showed indifference, inwardly, Itet was impressed by this young woman. Itet liked them with backbones, and this one for sure had a backbone, but there was something else, something that did not feel right. "Do you travel as well?"

"Sure, we've traveled almost all over the world."

There, that was it, that was what was setting Itet off on the wrong note. She traveled as did her sisters, which meant they had no ties to keep them here. They would leave and with Atem already close to this Anzu, he would be hurt in the process.

Yugi leaned forward. "The world, you say? Where have you not gone?" he asked out of curiosity.

Anzu shared a look with her sisters before turning back to answer his question. "I certainly haven't been to Antarctica, nor do I want to go. Ever."

"Why?" Chaya asked.

Anzu rolled her eyes. "Would you willingly go to the coldest place in the world, and when I say cold, I mean colder than how it gets here, at night."

Chaya's eyes widened. "Colder . . ." she whispered in shock.

Anzu nodded. "Colder." Chaya picked up some of the fruit that had been laid out and nibbled on a small piece. If there truly was a place she would have to agree with the traveling woman, why willingly go?

Anzu tipped her head to the side, signaling Atem to take back the conversation. "So, family," he said loud enough to pull everyone back towards him with the exception of Maut who was still glaring at Mana, but then shifting to Kisara and Anzu. Atem decided to keep his comment to himself, so Maut could at least have some dignity. "Tell me about your days."

Anzu listened silently while the rest of Atem's family spoke animatedly. She sent Mana and Kisara looks, knowing that they too were remembering their own dinners with their mother when they actually sat down alone, together just being a family. She picked at the fruit with her fingers carefully. Apples, awesome, they had green olives, pomegranates, figs, grapes, and Oh. My. God. They had coconuts! And then there were some fruits she didn't know the name of but hey, they were all pretty good.

As for the meat, hell, there was plenty of that. Not a lot of fish though there were a few plates but those were kind of picked off. She was enjoying the duck though. She continued to listen in while Mana started to chit-chat with Chaya. Anzu had to admit that they were almost the same, certainly had the attitude. Kisara was talking with Atena about something. Anzu remained alone. There was nothing to talk about; she liked different things then most people. The only person she could connect to was Atem himself.

" . . . Anzu part of the deal?"

Anzu blinked and looked up to see Yugi and Atem talking. She watched as Atem shrugged. "She teaches me about the world."

Yugi's brows rose. "Really . . ." he frowned slightly and said something very softly. It made Atem roll his eyes.

"I am not going to leave Egypt Yugi. I am not the selfish." Anzu looked down at her plate and found that the food tasted like dust. Holy fucking crap, what was up with this family?! Could they not see that Atem was tired? Did they not stay around to notice how his shoulders sagged and how miserable he looked by the end of the day?

He needs some kind of break. Something to take his mind off of things. "Atem." She said softly, making the Pharaoh turn to look at her.

"Anzu?"

"May I be excused? It seems I am not that hungry anymore." She said.

"Of course." He said. Anzu got up and left, anger burning brightly through her. What could she do to help him? Bastet had said she and her sisters had been the answered prayer to help Atem, so it was her job to help Atem.

"But how?" she muttered softly.

Then she got an idea. Her eyes widened and a grin spread across her face. She jogged through the hallways until she came to a particular room. Peeking in she saw just the person she was looking for. "Mahado."

The priest looked up and turned to see the one person he was not expecting. Anzu, his Pharaoh's 'teacher'. "Can I help you?" he asked, slightly guarded.

She stepped in front of him, still grinning wildly. "Please tell me there is some spell that let's me share my memories."

"There is . . . but why would you want to learn it?"

The grin flickered to an angry frown. "Atem is miserable, anyone but his family can see that." She said stiffly. Mahado wanted to reprehend her for her words but he could not reprehend the truth when it came to his friend. "He wants to see the world, so I'll give him as much of the world as I've seen."

Mahado's jaw dropped, it was not bad idea, in fact, it might even put a smile on his Pharaoh's face more often. But then . . . oh damn. "I would, but that spell is for the advanced, and I cannot just teach you a spell that is so advanced when you have not even taken lessons."

Anzu pouted and tapped her foot, in thought trying to find a solution. "Can you cast the spell on me? You hold the magic while I share my memories with Atem?"

"Yes, I can, but that would allow me to see your memories as well." he pointed out.

Anzu rolled her eyes. "Then you can join us in our mini adventures."

"And if others wish to join?"

"Like the other priests?"

"Yes."

She paused for a moment before she shrugged. "It's fine with me, but in the end it's for Atem that I'm doing all this for him."

Mahado nodded. "Then I see no problem in helping you." He said.

Anzu grinned and gave the magician a quick hug, shocking him. "Thank you!" she squealed and left, skipping while humming a tune. Mahado watched her go, but he could not fight back the grin that crept up on him.

It was not hard to see where Mana obviously got her small antics.

* * *

So many things to take into consideration now. Do Anzu, Kisara, and Mana have a time limit now? (And what I mean by that if anyone is confused, is that Anzu believes there is a time limit since she's guessed that the only reason she is in the past without any problems is because Bastet's temple has been fixed up, therefore having her with a little more power on her side.) What will Maut do to Mana now that she knows that she's actually in favor with Atem? There's a lot more questions I would put on here but then that would be a little too dramatic. (-_-)

So, in the next chaper we'll be staring another day and the lessons will continue with more from Maut and (OH NOs!) Kisara's enemy.

Thank you for reading, have a nice day or night. I hope you all enjoyed it. (And now, CHAPTER NINE!)

Thanks again! :D


	9. Drama

Hi everyone! I wanted to upload earlier but I ran in to problems. School is picking up so updates will slow down somewhat but I am trying. :)

This chapter will be full of . . . surprises. *evil grin* Have fun reading!

Disclaimer, I own nothing!

* * *

The Fountain of Time

Chapter 9

_He stood alone in the garden, Tey's garden. Atem closed his eyes and tried to escape but a sweet voice stopped him. "Atem." Taking in a shaky breath, he turned to see her, looking just as she had been when alive. Long black hair decorated with gold and jewels, her brown gold eyes glowing with sadness. Her white dress covered her body, showing her modest curves. He glared at her._

_ "Stop looking at me like that." He growled but she continued. _

_ "You promised." She whispered._

_ His eyes narrowed, yes, he had promised her, but she never gave a time limit. "You never gave me a time limit. I have my whole life to fulfill that promise. Leave!" he commanded. _

_ She stayed. Why, why, why!? Could she not see that she was holding him back, keeping his heart for herself so she would not have to share him. "Hypocrite!" he snarled. "You make me promise to find my happiness and yet you stay, forcing my heart to stay true to you."_

_ She walked up to him and hugged him, held him close and rested her head upon his chest. Atem was about to give in, to wrap his arms around his former wife when a tiny voice drifted through his ears. "_…Tey isn't here to stop you now. There is no one to insult_." Atem blinked in shock as he remembered what Anzu had said. _

_ He had a choice now, a choice to move on and live or to stay with Tey and die without an heir. Slowly, tenderly, Atem pushed Tey away from him. She looked up at him with broken eyes. "Atem!"_

_ "You are dead, in spirit you remain only to bring about my death, putting Egypt in danger. You hate Akuktata; you only come to keep me away from her." Tey's eyes hardened, becoming cold and mean, it was something she had learned to do while as Queen of Egypt instead of dissolving into useless tears._

_ "Because you are mine." She whispered. "I was the first to give you a child, no matter how long that little one lived." She said._

_ "No. I am not and I was never yours. You were mine, my property, given to me by your family who sold you off so they could be rich and live in luxury."_

_ Tey screamed and slapped his chest with her hands, tears glittering down her cheeks. "Take it back!"_

_ "Not unless you let me go, leave to the Afterlife and never come back."_

_ The spirit looked conflicted as she fought the internal battle to let him go and become precious to him again or to stay with him and be nothing special. "Heartless." She hissed._

_ "Yes, I was always heartless. You just chose to over look it."_

_ The spirit snarled and for a second, Atem knew what he was dealing with. This was not Tey; this was only a piece of her that she threw away before resting. The part of Tey who did not want to share him and would do anything to keep him. But he had a choice now._

_ "Leave, as Pharaoh I command you, LEAVE!" He yelled with all the power he could put into that single sentence. The piece of Tey screamed and flung herself away from him, not even looking human now. It turned to face him and opened its maw as if jumped at him. The Puzzle that he always had on flashed to life, making the creature scream once again and disappeared into a fine mist._

He sat up, gasping for breath. He was covered in a layer of sweat that made him shiver in the cool air. Atem was never going to escape her . . . he would never be happy . . .

"Atem?"

He looked up, shocked to hear exactly who was there. It was Anzu, tired and sleepy looking, giving him another reason to shiver completely. She was in a nearly see-through dress. "Anzu?"

"What's wrong, I heard someone cry." She asked and walked into his room to sit on his bed. It was then she noticed the dark circles under his eyes and he was sweating. For a few seconds she blinked and looked at him. Atem could not look into her eyes, finding that they seemed to see right into his soul. "Come on." She said softly, holding out her hand.

Atem did not know what she wanted, but he took her hand and he was pulled out of bed. Thank Ra he had decided not to sleep naked tonight. She grabbed a small blanket and wrapped it around him before she pulled him out of the room and into the hallway. "Where . . . ?"

"You're sleeping in my room tonight. It's obvious that the room you are sleeping in now is occupied by _someone else_. And since that someone else is obviously female, my presence might give her the message to leave."

He blinked a little before a heavy blush burned across his face. She did not have to do this, this was not necessary . . . Anzu was grumbling about something as she opened the door and pulled him inside. This room compared to . . . Tey's room was like night and day. This room was calmer, just like every other room he stepped into.

Tena looked at him from the bed and seemed to flick her tail in a hello gesture. Anzu pushed him into the washroom she had in her room and went to peek out her door. Hushed whispering informed him that she was probably talking with a servant.

A minute later he heard a soft knock and Anzu saying thank you before closing it again. She came into the washroom with two buckets of steaming hot water and two linen towels. Anzu pointed to the slab of limestone where the washing usually commenced. "Clean yourself up. You may be king but like hell I'm going to have you sleep in my clean bed." She huffed and marched out, leaving him alone.

Atem blinked but stripped and got to work and cleaned up using one of the linen towels to remove the sweat from his body. Removing the little makeup he had left on his face, Atem finally finished up, put his shendyt back on and left. When he came out of the washroom Anzu was already asleep on one side of the bed, leaving an obvious space that she left for him. A purring noise made him look in the center of the bed to see Tena watching him. "I take it you'll be making sure we stay in line, hmm?" he asked.

The cheetah's ears twitched and he could have sworn that the cat was smiling at him. He walked over and gingerly sat on the bed before snuggling down under the soft silky sheets. It was almost just as hard to fall asleep in this room as it was in Tey's room, but for a different reason.

Anzu was in the same bed as him. It was safe to say it left him utterly baffled. Finally though his eyelids became heavy and sleep claimed him. And for once since Tey's death he slept peacefully.

* * *

Anzu blinked as soft warming light drifted into the room, making her wake up slowly. She stretched out enjoying the feel as her muscles slowly woke up. She hadn't gotten to do this since the night before getting on the plane to Egypt.

And it felt so _good_.

With her brain slowly waking up, she started to remember what happened before going to sleep after dinner. Mahado had come to explain that he could do the spell, but not the next day. '_Hmm . . . what to do?_' she thought to herself as she rolled onto her belly and started to scratch Tena's ear. She looked over at her 'student' and continued to think. He could show her around. Anzu had heard that the ports in Egypt were always bustling with potential trades.

A groan pulled her from the thoughts on what to do as she looked over to see Atem stretching as she had done, arching his back and thrusting out that absolutely damned naked chest in the air. She entertained the idea of taking him to the future for a few days only, dressed him up with glistening honey and with some nice sheets hiding his suggested areas. Warning, drool alert.

"I need a cold fucking shower." She muttered.

"Hmm? What?" Atem asked sleepily as he sat up and looked down at her with those puffy eyes laced with sleep, his voice husky.

"Nothing." She said to the pillow, hiding the terrible blush that was taking over her face. Bad libido, BAD! '_No, actually I was thinking about licking honey off your body._' Why was everything, including her mind, going against her at that moment? That just wasn't fair at all. "I was thinking about what we would do today as the lesson I planed will obviously need more planning." She said. "I was thinking about the ports here in Egypt and wanted to see the trades and stuff."

Atem blinked before he shrugged. "That's fine; thankfully it is a free day." Anzu was about to nod and just fall asleep when she paused and realized something totally random. He said 'that's' when usually it was 'that is'. "You said, that's." she said.

This time Atem shrugged as if it were no big deal. "So I did." Anzu stared at him for a little bit longer before sitting up. Maybe he was just learning from her.

"When did you start using it?" she asked.

Another shrug. "I just listen to you when you spoke. You made things simpler."

She didn't know whether or not to be flustered or weirded out. She was unknowingly teaching a Pharaoh, a pretty formal guy, to speak modernly. How the crap did that happen. '_BEEP, please contact me later when I have the answer, which will probably be never._' Her mind said. Anzu decided that it was time to put her mind to use, giving it something else to think instead of torturing her. She rolled out of bed and promptly woke up as she hit the solid floor.

It was the greatest wake up call ever. With several small bruises on her body now, Anzu got up and slinked into the washroom or bathroom, whatever they called it this time and found the pool of water already fired up. Stripping, she slipped into the water and sighed loudly. '_Oh what a relief it is._' She sang in her head. Her eyes drifted over to the tray of food that had been set out. Anzu grinned. '_I stole Atem's bath and breakfast. Oops. NOT_.' She laughed and grabbed herself a grape and munched quietly.

Now . . . how to make this better? Anzu looked around and saw a strange container. Hmm? What could this be? She looked into to see a weird clear substance and she poked at it. Thick, kind of like soap.

She poured a little in and . . . oh gods. Bubbles! Anzu poured in just enough and now she was surrounded by the familiar bubbles. They had a really nice smell to the too. She scrubbed away the oil in her hair and her skin, removing as much dead skin as she could until her whole body was red. She then pulled out a knife and carefully got out the dirt from under her nails before moving to her toe nails. She didn't have to worry about shaving because the Egyptians, true to what the history books said, went hairless as possible. Yesterday had been a waxing day, it had hurt like a bitch but man, it was nice.

~o~

Atem woke up to see Anzu walking out of the washroom, nearly naked. He sucked in a breath of air before stuffing a pillow in front of his face as a hot blush burned across his cheeks.

He heard linen slide over skin and then a few clicks, the jewelry probably. The next time he picked out from behind the pillow she was rubbing some smell good oil on her legs. "The washroom is free, Pharaoh. Oh, by the way, I believe I stole your bath and breakfast . . ." she paused to look over her shoulder. "And I'm not even sorry."

Atem blinked for a few minutes before he sat up, still clutching the pillow like a lifeline. If there was breakfast and bath ready for him already that probably meant that the servants, or Anzu's servants, knew about him being in here. "I am Pharaoh," he chuckled. "I can eat when I wish."

Anzu stood up and grabbed a golden belt decorated with sapphires with a single ruby in the front center of the belt. "So, what comes into the ports today?" she asked.

Atem hummed as he thought about it. "It's usually mixed. Gold, silver, smell goods and oils." He paused. "I guess we will just have to carry some gold and silver around."

Anzu grinned. "Shopping in ancient times." She giggled.

"What?"

"Nothing." She said and leaned over and tugged at Tena's tail, getting the cheetah to uncurl from her tight sleeping ball. Anzu leaned over and gave her a large hug of sorts, making the big cat purr loudly before Anzu attacked her, scratching behind her ears and butting heads with her affectionately. The cheetah purred loudly and crawled on top of her trapping Anzu with her body. She laughed and attempted to sit up but her weight was making that difficult. "How cute."

She sat up, just a little bit, to see Atem watching her, grinning from ear to ear. "Oh shut it and help me up if you would. Tena doesn't look it but she's heavy." He laughed and gently pushed the cheetah off her, giving Anzu the ability to sit up. "Hurry up and get clean, I want to see what's up with trade." She said. Atem nodded and slipped into the washroom.

~o~

Anzu was waiting in the garden, dressed and ready with a secret bag heavy with gold and silver tied to her hip. She was actually really excited, almost like she was when she was thirteen and going to the mall was cool. "Maybe I can find you a really pretty collar, or necklace by cat standards since you own yourself." She said. Tena chirped, maybe in agreement.

Footsteps alerted her of someone coming up to her, making her turn to see Atem, cleaned and dressed up in his kingly 'uniform'. "Ready?" he asked. Anzu stood up, grinning.

"Totally." She turned to the dozing cheetah. "You coming Tena?" she called out. The cat blinked and looked over to see her Anzu walking away, prompting the cat to get up and scramble after her.

* * *

"This is impossible!" Mana moaned and rested her aching head on the large spell book she was studying. "How do you do it, Samira?" she looked over at her friend, who giggled.

"It just takes some time. You have never touched your magic before, so it will take you some time to even do some spells correctly." She explained while doing up her black hair in quick braid. "Besides, not many starters can make all their fingers glow."

Mana pouted. "Now you're just trying to make me feel better about it." One of the starters tapped her on the shoulder, grabbing her attention. "Oh, hi Isis."

The small girl smiled quickly before speaking. "Is it true that you are in favor with Pharaoh Atem?"

The small group that surrounded Mana fell silent sharply, even Samira was surprised. Mana smiled nervously. "Well I'm not but more so my sister, Anzu, is."

"But you got to eat with Pharaoh!" Isis said softly.

"No, seriously guys, it's not me who is in favor, it's my sister." Mana said. "Besides, it's not big deal . . . right?"

Samira shook her head. "It is a very big deal, Mana. It means if you wish to ask for more time you can instantly get it." She smiled. "It actually might help you."

Mana blinked. A few more hours alone with Mahado . . . that would drive her fucking insane. "I would but I think Pharaoh Atem went somewhere."

"Then you are in luck, Mana." She jumped and looked over her shoulder to see Mahado behind her.

"What?"

"Anzu has requested that I spend more time with you." Mana felt her eye twitch.

"What did she do, blackmail you?" Mana knew that he only took commands from Atem.

He paused for a moment, letting the whole class know that he had struck some kind of deal with Anzu. "You could say that." He said before moving on to one of the advanced students.

Samira turned to her, shocked. "Your sister must be very powerful for Master Mahado to just . . . agree."

Mana narrowed her eyes as she thought about it. "No, Anzu is probably just testing to see how long it will take me to run away with my cheeks on fire."

Samira blinked before she gave the starter a sly grin. "Oh? Does someone like Master Mahado?"

"No." Denied it too quickly, she knows. Samira started laughing and before long she flopped to her side, still laughing. "Okay already! I get it." Mana huffed. Samira got up, shaking her head while waving her hand.

"No, no, I am not making fun of you. It is . . . well, let me just say that I would rather have you for Master Mahado's wife than Maut."

Mana looked over at her in shock. "I'm only sixteen!"

Samira shrugged. "That is of marriage age. I was married when I turned thirteen." Mana paused in sheer shock. She knew many married young, especially if the family had kids or 'pawns' to spare.

"You're married already?"

Samira smiled as a blissful smile glowed brightly on her face. "Yes, I have loved him since childhood."

"How old are you and he?"

"I have just turned sixteen; he is nineteen, about to turn twenty." Mana's jaw dropped, making Samira giggle. "Master Mahado is only twenty-four." She said. '_Yeah, like that made everything better!_'

Eight years stood between them. Oh gods and she liked him! Hopefully she wouldn't have to explain that to her mother. Wait . . . "Does that mean you have a kid?"

Samira nodded. "Yes, one boy, but Mahu is hoping for a girl next."

"That's rare."

"Which is why I appreciate him."

Damn, Samira was a mom of all things, and she was fucking tiny! Mana would guess that if she had a kid it would take forever to get her body shape back. Anzu and Kisara, they were taller, had more of a chance to keep and retain their shapes.

Changing the subject . . . "So, does Priest Seto have teach anyone else other then Kisara?"

Samira nodded. "Yes, Nefret. She is very pretty."

Mana's eyebrows rose before a dark grin snaked across her face. "Oh yes, I'm sure she's very pretty."

* * *

Kisara was glaring at the floor about to give up completely. She could see faint flashes of white but she could never touch whatever was in her soul room. She closed her eyes and tried again, letting all her worries go. Flash, flash, pause . . . Kisara mentally reached out . . . and it was gone. Kisara rarely lost her temper but this was getting ridiculous!

She grabbed a small little pot she had been fingering and threw it at the wall, making it shatter into tiny pieces. "Having a hard time, I see." She looked to see Seto in the doorway, eyebrow up.

She glared at him. "I get so close and it just slips away. I feel like its hiding from me!" Her small temper tantrum made Seto chuckle.

"Sometimes it takes time to connect to your ka."

"That's stupid." She muttered. Seto smiled and turned.

"Nefret." He called, making Kisara look up to see a beautiful woman walk in. She looked absolutely kind with a gentle smile on her face. "She will be helping you in discovering your Ka."

Kisara smiled up at Nefret. "Hello." She said.

"Hello." Kisara almost wished to close her eyes. It was as though Nefret's very voice was of pure music. Kisara looked her over, noting that she was probably eighteen of nineteen with warm brown eyes and long black hair adorned with gold chains with small stones on them. She was in a traditional dress that was decorated with feathers and shells.

Seto walked over to a desk of sorts by the look of it and sat down and opened up several scrolls. Kisara pouted mentally. Darn, no room to flirt with him and she had a plan to get him to blush too. "So Kisara," the musical voice of Nefret abruptly ended her thought process. "What is the problem you are having with your ka?"

Kisara sighed and explained to Nefret what she was experiencing, once done, Nefret nodded. "You might wish to ask a magician to help you. Sometimes it helps to have a little magical aid."

Kisara smiled, hopefully she could benefit from Mana.

Nefret leaned forward suddenly, her warm kind eyes no longer warm and kind, but cold and cruel. "So Kisara, why did you become Priest Seto's student?" there was a faint sneer in her voice making Kisara want to stiffen her spine but she knew if she did that Nefret would instantly see that she had gotten to her.

"Well, it sort of started back in my home land where this old priestess told me that I had a special spirit friend or something of the like so when I came here and my older sister, Anzu, became friends with Pharaoh Atem she asked if I could have help finding out this special spirit." Kisara explained. Most of it was the truth with the exception of some tiny little things but she doubted Nefret cared about those.

Suddenly, like a spring storm, Nefret's cruel face disappeared her happy smile returned. "Oh, I see." She said and went on to explain the whole Ka thing but Kisara wasn't listening fully. Half her brain was listening to what Nefret had to say but the other half couldn't forget the sudden shift within Nefret.

Her stomach was doing some weird back flips a bad sign that she was not going to like this woman at all.

* * *

Anzu was sure her eyes were about to pop out. They had to be! The port was almost as she'd seen in those pictures. Busy, crowded, but excitement in the air. There was a kind of order in this place that she'd always seen in the pictures and though she couldn't place what exactly was in order, it brought a smile to her face. Tena was pressed up against her, growling at anyone who dared get close.

Of course, since Atem was Pharaoh, he couldn't really go to the ports alone so that meant guards would follow them. Anzu found them more comforting, she had had a feeling that many people got snatched up here and were never seen again, not a position she wanted to be it.

She looked around and stopped when she spotted a merchant selling exotic animals. Exotic as is, this guy had elephants, giraffes, and rhinos of all things! She blinked in sheer shock. Atem noticed and followed her gaze to the exotic animals. "You are surprised?"

"Yeah, who in the hell would willingly capture something like a rhino when at any moment," she snapped her fingers. "He could break out of his, or her, cage and destroy this place. What's stopping it?"

Atem shrugged. "Those who sell them as far as I know train them."

"Oh . . ." You could train a rhino? That was new. Then she spotted something that made the cat lover inside of her squeal like a demented fan girl. It was a beautiful king cheetah. Male, golden coat with thick black spots and stripes down his back and thick ring tails. "I want him." She whispered.

Atem blinked. "I may be Pharaoh but I am not willing to buy you a rhino."

She shook her head and pointed to the king cheetah. "Him! I want him." She walked over and crouched down to look into the warm golden brown eyes. Oh he was so beautiful and damn he had some muscle on him. If she could marry this cat, she would, but that was weird and she already had a . . . a grin grew on Anzu's face. "I'll leave that to Tena." She giggled.

"I see you appreciate a rare animal when you see one, My Lady." She looked up to see a fairly handsome man looking down at her. A common man, black hair, tan skin in a white skirt, his feet sandaled. His chest was left uncovered for all the world to see.

"Indeed she does, Nakhti." Atem said from behind her. The merchant named Nakhti looked up and smiled.

"Ah, My Pharaoh, it has been some time since I have seen you in these parts. I would have come sooner when I had heard," he paused and closed his eyes. "But the winds were against me. Forgive me, old friend?"

Atem smiled. "Of course I do. Now possible in me forgiving you so easily would you give your cheetah to Anzu for half the price?"

Nakhti chuckled. "Bartering already, Atem?"

The Pharaoh grinned. "You know me."

The merchant laughed. "Well, we have to see if he likes her first, damn bugger is harder to sell than I thought he . . . would . . . be?" The merchant trailed off as he turned to see that the cheetah was no longer in his cage but on top of it, being hugged and cuddled by Anzu, and he looked to be enjoying it. "Oh . . . umm . . . well since that is out of the way we can get started on the price."

Twenty minutes later Atem and Nakhti agreed on twelve gold pieces and four silver pieces and the cheetah was theirs. "Ready to go big boy?" she asked, scratching his ear. He purred and gracefully jumped down, joining Tena who was eyeing him carefully. Eventually she relaxed, but was now glued to Anzu's side, forcing the king cheetah to stand next to Atem, not that he seemed to mind.

They looked around a little bit more, some jewels, necklaces; Anzu bought a sapphire necklace for herself while Atem had found a ring he liked. They returned to the palace by midday, laughing about the man bickering like a child while over at the ports.

"Great Pharaoh!" Atem nearly groaned as he turned around to see one of his messengers jogging up to him.

"Yes?"

The messenger paused, gasping. "I would have delivered this earlier but the winds were being difficult."

Atem nodded. "So I have heard."

The man straightened. "The Powers wish to meet. They have also pointed out that it was your turn to host the event." Atem blanched and cursed loudly. Anzu watched him, brows raised before she turned to the messenger.

"You can go rest now." The man bowed and left. "Want to explain or do I have to smack you to get it out of you?"

"I completely forgot about that." He groaned.

"Hell-o! Earth to Pharaoh!" he turned to her. "Thank you, now, explain."

He sighed. "Remember when I said I enjoy playing in politics?"

"Yeah."

"Well, as you know I have brought about a golden age and those who I have traded with have benefited from it as well. To try and keep it stable, I meet with the other leaders." He said.

"Okay," Anzu said, blinking. "So why is this a big deal?"

Atem sighed. "Do you also remember when I explained why I like politics? How do I trade with this country but how do I do it without angering someone else?" She nodded. "It would be something like, how to invite all these powerful leaders under a single roof without a war exploding between one of them."

Anzu made a face and saw his dilemma. "So when do you have to host the event?" she asked.

Atem leaned against the wall, looking slightly defeated. "There is always a specific day every year when the winds of The Green Sea will be just right for three weeks. For powerful leaders to go to the event and to leave with speed."

"So . . . ?"

"In seven days I must prepare everything and the last time I hosted this event since I was the first to start it, it took several months."

Anzu felt the floor give way. '_Bastet, we could really use that magic-wiggle-finger of yours_.' Tena and her new friend, who was named King by Anzu as she insisted on it, shared a look with each other as though they could communicate mentally. Their human friends were not happy.

* * *

Nefret had left for home which was not in the palace. Kisara felt slightly happy about that fact considering that the woman oozed bitch. Seto had decided that he would teach her how to connect with her magic, just to help a little bit with the whole Ka situation. "Now that you have a connection, try again." He said. Kisara nodded and meditated one more time. The flashes were brighter now, and could actually see the shape of a room with walls.

The room then shifted into focus. It was like going from a bad fuzzy TV to a high definition TV. The ceiling was the blue sky with the sun's gentle rays gleaming down. The 'floor' was actually the prettiest clearest water she'd ever seen before and if felt cool and relaxing. On a crystal pedestal with two levels, on the first level was a photograph of her family. Linda, Anzu, Mana, and herself, all smiling. On the second level was another photograph, but this of Priest Seto. Kisara blushed and looked away.

In a corner say a huge book that was old and nearly destroyed. Kisara knew this to be old memories when she was just a child, before she'd been taken to the orphan house. The temptation was too great, making Kisara slip through the low water so she could open the book. Pictures some of strangers and some, she knew in her heart, to be loved ones. One man and woman was nearly constant in these photos.

She had bleach blond hair and pale blue eyes, the man was albino, because Kisara could see the slightly pink eyes. He was so pale . . . and so was her mother for that matter. Kisara closed in and looked around in her soul room further. There was a strange statue nearly in the center. A pure white dragon with closed eyes. "Must be marble . . ." she muttered but stopped cold when the 'statue' moved. The eye opened, revealing a pure blue eye.

The dragon moved to look straight at her. Power, this dragon was powerful, like waves she felt while at the beach once, lapping over and over again in a gentle pattern. The dragon stood up on its hind legs, before it flashed open its wings, making her hair blow back. "Wow." She said. That was really all she could say before she was forced from her soul room back out to reality.

"Kisara?" Seto asked, slightly worried. Kisara blinked several times before she realized that he was cupping her face, worry present in his cold blue eyes. '_Cold as ice . . ._' she thought, winter had always been her favorite season.

"I saw it." She said, grinning from ear to ear. The priest blinked and leaned back.

"You did?"

"Yes! It was a white dragon with pretty blue eyes." She said, recalling the amazing creature that was actually the true form of her spirit. The priest smiled and stood up, holding out his hand for her to take it. Kisara placed her hand within his warm one. It made her shiver slightly just how small she was compared to him.

"What will you name your Ka?"

Kisara paused, realizing she had never thought about it. "Ugh . . ." she paused, tapping her finger on her chin. Then, 'pop', there it was. It was like the dragon had picked out the name for itself. "Blue-Eyes White Dragon." She said. "That is the name of my Ka." She smiled and felt, from the very depths of her soul, a pulse of pure light.

Priest Seto smiled. "Then so be it. Now it is time for the next step."

Kisara blinked in shock. "There's another step? What could it possibly be?" she asked.

"Summoning it here in the physical world." He said. Kisara's jaw dropped. She couldn't do that! She was about to tell him so when a servant rushed in.

"Priest Seto, Pharaoh Atem wishes to speak with you." Seto blinked before nodding. He was about to walk out of the room before he turned to her, a smirk present on his face. '_Damn you_.'

"I am sure your sister is in the throne room with Pharaoh, are you coming?"

"Y-yes." She stuttered and quickly followed.

* * *

Mana squeaked in shock as she nearly blasted a hole in the wall. Mahado closed his eyes to keep the dust from bothering them. So Anzu had been correct when she had said that her little sister had quite a bit of power and magic. When the dust cleared he found the room completely empty. He sighed and looked in his student's new favorite hiding spot.

A large pot.

"Mana." He sighed.

She peeked over the edge of the rim of the pot, her eyes wide. "Did I blow a hole in the wall?" she asked. Mahado had to fight the tender feelings that wiggled its way in his heart.

"No, you did not but you did take a good sized chunk out of it." The girl blinked and looked over to the wall to see a slightly large indent. She cringed and sunk lower into the pot. "Mana, there is no use hiding. It is called practicing for a reason."

"Yeah right, more like I'm destroying everything in near sight." She groaned. Mahado had to keep himself from looking down into the pot itself because it sounded as though she was going deeper, as though it was endless.

"Mana, out." He commanded. There was an agitated sigh from within before she popped out. She twirled her staff around nonchalantly, a side effect from one of her high schools as a baton girl. She turned to him, about to speak when the door opened, a guard.

"Priest Mahado, the Pharaoh wishes to speak with you in the throne room." The priest nodded and left, not noticing that Mana was following him quietly. When they came to the throne room Atem was talking with the rest of his priests, Anzu was off to the side talking to Kisara. She walked over to them; they were speaking in English so she decided to join them.

"Hi guys." She said. Both her sisters turned and smiled. "What's up with that?" she asked, pointing with her thumb over her shoulder at the king and his priests.

Anzu smiled. "I was just explaining that. So we all know about the golden age, it's the eighteenth dynasty, duh. Anyway, those who trade with Egypt are having a taste of this golden age and to try and keep it going, Atem with the help of other powerful leaders, kings and queens, you get the idea, get together and put aside their differences so that it can continue."

Mana blinked. "That makes sense."

Kisara nodded before turning to her younger sister. "How was magic class?"

"Terrible, I put another dent on the wall." She pouted. "How about you?"

"I finally discovered my Ka. It's a dragon." She said excitedly. Anzu beamed.

"That's great Kisara!"

"Oh yes," Kisara said, as though she just remembered something. "Mana, do you remember that wedding jab you so kindly gave me?" Mana grinned.

"Of course I do."

"I finally have my comeback." She said proudly.

Mana smirked. "Well then let's hear it, I'm all ears."

Kisara matched Mana's smirk, only it was a bit darker, making Anzu's brow rise and make Mana wonder what exactly her comeback was. "Mahado," she paused to add effect. "Man Administering Hot Arousing Delightful Orgasms." Anzu's jaw dropped as her eyes nearly turned into sparkling sapphires with the help of laughing tears that sprang to life in her eyes as she clutched her ribs, laughing loudly, making the Pharaoh and his priests look over in confusion.

Mana was utterly horrified while Kisara looked down at her younger sister, hands on hips, grinning in victory. Slowly, an angry scowl formed on Mana's face as her cheeks lit up like red Christmas lights. "Take that back!"

"Make me." Kisara shot back.

"Gladly you blue albino!" she unknowingly reverted back to Egyptian, giving the priests and Atem a small window into how the sisters acted sometimes. Kisara's eyes narrowed.

"Midget!" Mana was obviously short for her age.

"Miss Stick!" Kisara had grown faster than most and became very thin.

"Cow Udders!" Mana had bloomed a little earlier than most. The insults streamed on, making the priests' eye widen to the size of golf balls, Atem was in the same situation. Anzu?

Still laughing.

"Maybe if you sing your voice out I won't have to listen to you all day tomorrow!" Mana growled.

Kisara got right in her little sister's face, her own cheeks on fire. "At least I can carry a tune and not crack a glass!"

"At least I know not to go crushen on some cold jerk!"

"Says the one who's crushen on a guy nine years apart! Which says something about who's smarter."

"Yeah!?"

"Yeah!" A flash of something pink and white slammed in between the girls throwing them a few feet away. The small meeting was now officially forgotten.

And Anzu was still laughing.

Atem blinked. "What was that?" he asked.

Mahado blinked. "I think that was just magic being used . . ." he cleared his throat. "Emotionally."

Movement from opposite directions told Atem that the two sisters were up. From the dust came an angry looking Mana and Kisara. Atem had no idea if he should step in or not. They were about to meet but both were stopped when a hands smacked them both on the noses, hard. The background laughing could be heard no more. Mana and Kisara looked over to see Anzu glaring at them with icy, icy blue eyes that seemed to freeze them on the spot. "Enough!" she turned to Mana. "You in that corner!" she turned to Kisara. "And you in the opposite corner. _NOW!_"

Both girls seemed to shrink before their older sister before zipping into their time-out corners, not really wishing to test how far she was willing to go. Anzu took a deep breath as she rubbed her temples. Opening one eye, she waved her hand at the small group in the center of the throne room. "You can go back to discussing about the event." She muttered and sat down Indian style, still rubbing her temples.

Atem turned to his priests. "What had I been saying?" he asked, trying to remember where he had been stopped at.

They all shrugged, as they had forgotten too.

* * *

That night Atem was sitting on Anzu's bed, waiting for her to exit the washroom. When she did, he cleared his throat. "Umm, Anzu?"

"Hmm?"

"What happened with your sisters in the throne room today?"

She blinked and looked over at him. "Oh that? Just a teen squabble, a rather extreme one over something so small too." She paused before smirking. "Doesn't matter." She paused. "Did it bother you?"

"No, it just . . . shocked me."

Anzu grinned. "Yeah, my family has the weird ability to do that kind of stuff. Nothing new."

* * *

This chapter, as you can see, is slightly personal and, Atem has moved into Anzu's room. Not to mention we have the 'Powers' coming into play now. Mwa ha ha ha! So much toys to play with now!

This chapter was a quick put up so I would hope that if any of you see anything weird, just shoot me a review.

thanks for reading!

Bye!


	10. Island Paradise

Hi! Sorry for the late update. I was dealing with school but now that I am on Spring Break I'll have the time to actually write my chapters. This took several days and near week to be content with this chapter.

a romance lover, I know you want them to be closer, but for right now you'll have to wait. I'm already thinking about turning this into a rated M story. (But for right now it will remain T.)

Disclaimer, I own nothing.

* * *

The Fountain of Time

Chapter 10

Anzu had to wake up early again, but for a good reason. She was going to make Mahado help her in stealing Atem. Two days had passed since the whole messenger thing about the Powers and whatnot and the palace had been working day and night to get everything ready. She hadn't even dared step out of her room in fear of being run over. Kisara and Mana had gotten over their fight yesterday and both were now helping each other with their lessons to an extent as much as they could.

When Kisara was now in deep meditation she could now glow brightly, like someone had turned a light on from within her. Mana could make flowers grow, levitate things, and change hair color as Kisara had discovered when she found herself with hot pink hair. Mana was begging for forgiveness while Kisara cried. Atem had called for Mahado and he had fixed things up but not before giving Mana a good glare.

Anzu smiled. Those had been slightly fun days, but Atem was missing out in what she had to share. So she carefully exited the room, making sure no one would appear out of no where and trample her to death. Mahado was probably with his students right now so Anzu walked over to the classroom, found the door slightly ajar, allowing her to peek in.

The room was filled with males and females, a little more females then males though. Mana was with a small group of girls, probably her class friends. Mahado had his back to the door, which meant she had to go into the room. '_Sorry, Mana.'_ Anzu whispered mentally and entered. Almost immediately the room fell silent and all eyes fell on her, heck, she could feel Maut's angry gaze on her skin.

Mana was blinking in surprise but Anzu ignored her little sister and approached Mahado, who was turning around now, noticing the silence. He blinked for a few seconds but he could tell she wanted to talk to him. "Continue on with class." He said and exited the room. When the door was shut Mahado crossed his arms. "What is it, Anzu?"

"I need your help."

His brows rose. "How so?"

"Kidnapping Atem." She said. Mahado blinked, giving her an odd look which made her roll her eyes. "He's killing himself, Mahado, surely you see that? I understand that in five days some pretty powerful people will be here, but that doesn't mean he has to kill himself to make sure everything is perfect."

"Why would you want to kidnap him?"

Anzu's brow rose up to match his. "Do you seriously think he's just going to 'take a break' without a fight?"

Well, when she put it that way . . . "What exactly will this 'taking a break' consist of?"

"The memory spell, a specific place I went to when I was a child, and Atem finding some peace." Mahado sighed before giving in.

"Fine, but how exactly are you going to kidnap Atem?"

"Bag over the head, I was hoping you would help with holding and heaving him away for obvious reasons." Mahado rolled his eyes but could see her point. He opened the door to his class.

"I will be busy for the rest of the day. Neshi," he called out to one of his advanced students who stood up quickly. "Help anyone who needs it."

The young man bowed. "Yes Master." He said. Anzu peeked in and waved at Mana.

"Have fun, little sister." She smirked, making Mana glare at her poisonously. Anzu laughed as she left.

~o~

Samira blinked as her best friend's sister left the room, laughing. She turned to see Mana glaring at the door murderously. "Mana?"

The girl looked back over, slightly surprised. "Huh?" Samira fought the smile that wished to creep up on her. This girl was so interesting but always a joy to talk to. She had such interesting ideas too, though strange, they were different then what she had come across before.

"Was that your sister?"

"Yeah."

One girl giggled. "Does she like Master Mahado?" The whole class seemed to fall silent as all eyes fell upon Mana, who had a blank face. Then it scrunched up in thought.

"I don't think so . . . I mean, Anzu is pretty independent. She doesn't like it when anyone makes decisions for herself, which is a wonder how she lived with our mother. She's pretty dominate in a relationship so either the guy wouldn't mind letting her be dominate or he's equally dominate. I think she and Master Mahado would clash too much. He likes to have control of the situation himself . . ."

The one girl tipped her head to the side. "But . . . would that not be a plus in their . . . 'relationship'? If they both have control then they do not have to worry about problems if one of them should lose control."

Mana shrugged. "I guess you could call it a plus, but like I said, she likes to make her own decisions, and Master likes to stay in control, those would clash. I'd say if they did like each other, it would blow over really fast . . . like, maybe two days tops."

"That's very interesting, Mana." Neshi said, tapping her on the head. "But right now class is something you should be concentrated on." Samira smiled as the girl whined and the advanced student grinned down. Samira remembered a day ago when he had helped her perfect a spell, the plant growing one, and she asked if she could call him big brother.

They did act like brother and sister, not to mention it was rather amusing just how much they looked alike with messy dark brown hair and dark earth green eyes. They would have been cute together but Samira knew that Neshi was already married to another pretty girl.

Besides, they were cuter as brother and sister.

~o~

Isis was running through the shrinking list of things to do and the growing things that were done. Her Pharaoh was not sitting on his throne, but pacing about, a stressed frown on his face. '_Much how it was during the Great War_.' She thought. Isis was about to speak when she noticed that Mahado had just entered the room with Anzu leading the way.

There was movement from Priest Seto's side as his second pupil, Kisara, looked over at her sister. All the priests watched as Anzu placed one finger over her lips, a sign to be quiet. Kisara blinked before a small smile spread across her face. "Hey Atem."

The Pharaoh paused and looked up, blinking. It always baffled Isis how these three girls could simple say his name like he was not Pharaoh, but just a friend and not get lashed for using such informal words with him. "Yes, Kisara?"

The pale girl grinned. "What do you think of my sister, Anzu?"

Isis watched as her Pharaoh blinked, rapidly. "She is . . . a good friend." All the priests paused and took a step back so they could watch whatever was about to unfold. Kisara rolled her eyes.

"I know that. You practically say it every day. But seriously," a sly smile replaced the innocent smile. "How do you _really_ feel about her?" Isis realized what the girl was implying and turned to look at her Pharaoh like the other priests. They watched as their Pharaoh saw what she was talking about and a heavy blush spread across his face.

"I-I do not k-know what you are talking about!" he stuttered, horrified.

Kisara blinked. "Then why are you blushing?"

"Because of what you are implying! I see her as a friend!" Behind him Anzu rolled her eyes and glared at Kisara.

"Well, mission accomplished." She chirped.

"What?" Atem drew up a blank face.

"That was all just to distract you silly." Kisara giggled. Atem blinked and was about to spin around when his head disappeared and Anzu jumped out of the way as Mahado quickly grabbed Atem. Isis's jaw dropped while Seto was leaning against the wall, his shoulders shaking noticeably. While Atem thrashed about, trying to get his unknown assailant to let go of him, Anzu poked Seto.

"I'll bring him back. I just need him to have a break and relax before he kills himself."

Seto shook his head. "That is quite fine. Just remove the knife he has in his belt." Anzu grinned and showed him the royal blade that was now in her hand. "Never mind." Seto said and quickly went back to laughing.

* * *

Atem was trying to calm his throbbing heart and even his breathing. No one had screamed in panic, he'd even heard Seto laughing. He sighed. "Can whoever has me let go, my stomach is starting to hurt." He complained.

Suddenly he was in freefall but hit the ground in a few seconds . . . grass, he was in the garden. "Glad you made it here safely, Atem." A laughing voice said. Atem pulled off the bag that had been placed over his head to glare at the laughing blue-eyed woman.

"Was that really necessary?" he growled. Anzu, unbothered by his anger, simply grinned.

"Yeah, it was. You're doing a good job getting things ready but all work and no play?" she tisked, waving her finger about. "That I had to change." Atem rolled his eyes and stood up but was forced down. He looked up to see Mahado, his closest childhood friend. His jaw dropped slightly.

"You are in this too?!"

Mahado sighed. "Sad to say, but yes, yes I am."

Atem did not know what to think about that. "Why?"

"Because I agree with Anzu. You need to relax a bit."

Atem got to his feet and exploded. "How am I supposed to relax when I get kidnapped by my friends!?"

Anzu came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, making him lean back a bit due to height difference. "Well maybe if you'd calm down, we can show you why we kidnapped you in the first place." She snapped at him. He paused and calmed down. She spun him around and took his hands. She paused and looked over at Mahado. "We need to hold hands for it to work, right? What about you?"

"Since I am the one casting the spell I will automatically get your memories, for you to share them with others, they need to be making physical contact with you." Mahado explained as his hand started to glow. Atem blinked and looked down to a see a golden line creating a circle around all three of them. Anzu sat down then, making him come with her. Once he was comfortable, she closed her eyes. "Close your eyes, Pharaoh." Mahado instructed. "There are guards around us to make sure we stay safe."

Atem nodded and closed his eyes. The world shifted slightly and suddenly he became aware of a new noise surrounding him. A low crash, loud and wild, and there was some wind to it. He took a deep breath and breathed in a salty wind that filled his lungs. It was similar to the air around his palace by the Green Sea.

He continued to have his eyes closed as he shakily let go of Anzu's hands and felt the ground. No longer could he feel the soft grass he was used to but sand. But it was soft, and very, very fine compared to the rough sand of the desert. He could feel Ra spreading out over his skin, but it was . . . less intense for some reason.

Finally, he opened his eyes and a faint cry of shock escaped his throat. Water, just endless water spread out before him, beautifully crystal blue. He stood up and realized he was barefoot; he was also in some strange clothing that just covered his lower area. He ran a hand over the material, soft but very durable. It was a bright red with designs he had never seen before.

"Wow! It actually worked." Atem turned to see Anzu grinning brightly. Atem felt heat rise in his cheeks. He was used to seeing women dress in little next to nothing due to Ra beating down upon them but this . . . this was more like a tease. She wore a blue outfit that only covered her chest and lower areas, revealing the strong plane of her stomach for all to see and her smooth shoulders. Her outfit was covered in strange flower designs. She still had that golden tan; it was just the physical things that had changed, like what they had worn. She turned to Mahado. "What do you think, Mr. Magician?" she laughed.

Mahado finally opened his eyes and tried to cover up his own surprise but he was having a hard time doing just that. Atem looked to see that Mahado was wearing the same thing he was, the only difference was that it was slightly longer, while Atem's fell to his knees, the strange clothing fell a little past the knees for Mahado, not to mention it was a dark purple. He also had white fabric covering his chest.

"This is . . . you have gone here before?" he asked. Anzu grinned.

"When I was just a little girl. Come on you two, you haven't even felt the water yet." She laughed and splashed in. The two men followed in carefully and when the water finally touched Atem, his whole body seemed to sigh at the cool yet warm waters. He went a little deeper, not wanting to get completely wet but that changed in a few short seconds.

Anzu leapt out of the water and attacked him from behind, forcing him to fall completely into the water. Yelping in shock he went under. Something tapped him on the nose, making him open one eye under the water. Anzu was looking at him with both eyes, silently laughing. She grabbed his hands and pulled him up. When he reached the surface he gasped for the clear air.

Mahado held out a hand, pulling Atem to his feet but Anzu would have none of it as she pulled them both in. Mahado hit the water and instantly came up, breathing in shock. Anzu laughed and sent a splash to them both. "Mahado, your hair is amazing." She laughed. Atem blinked and felt a bubble of laughter escape. It was completely dismantled with a few wild locks hiding his face.

She came up behind him and pulled his hair back into a tight ponytail. Mahado looked slightly shocked at yet slowly he got up, walked to the shore where the water was low and sat down there and lay back, letting out a sigh that seemed to hold all his worries. "You know Anzu, I might ask for this once every two weeks." He said lightly. Atem blinked as he had never heard the sheer amount of relaxation in his priest's voice.

Anzu laughed from beside Atem. "I thought you might enjoy this." She said as she turned to the Pharaoh. "Look around, this place is an island and I explored every inch of it. It's small but just enough for you." She said, taking his hand. "This is my gift to you. Any time you need this," she waved her hand around. "Just ask me."

Atem blinked and swallowed back the sudden knot in his throat. "Thank you, Anzu." He whispered softly. She smiled and walked over to Mahado and instantly they fell into a heavy discussion about something. Atem didn't bother to care and walked along the white shores. The plants were new; the strange calls from the birds hidden in the trees were new. He felt his shoulders sag as everything left him.

He touched everything, taking in the feelings that were so new to him. This . . . he had to agree with Mahado . . . anytime . . . he smiled.

~o~

"So, what do you think? Possible?" Anzu asked. Mahado was thinking before he slowly nodded.

"Yes, I believe I can make it, but it could take some time."

"Just make sure it's complete by the day we discussed, okay?"

The magician nodded. "I'll try." He chuckled. "I'll have it started once we are done with this." He said.

Anzu grinned. "When will that be?"

He smiled. "Well, I can hold this spell for at least another three hours but we need to leave in an hour."

"Just enough for him to look."

"Anzu!"

Anzu and Mahado turned to see Atem walking towards them. "Speak of the devil." She chuckled. "How do you like the island?"

He sat next to her, a carefree smile present on his face. "I love it." He sighed

"We can stay here for another . . ." Mahado paused for a moment. "Thirty minutes or we can leave now, get things done that need to be done and we can come back."

Atem grinned. "I believe I am ready to go back. Be warned though, Anzu." He grinned. "I will put a lot more protection around you now."

She gave him a look of mock horror. "I knew I shouldn't have shown you this!" He laughed, Mahado chuckled, and Anzu could only grin. The island became fuzzy and the next thing Atem knew he was sitting on the grass again, relaxed, could still hear the echo of the gentle waves. His hands were now in Anzu's. He looked up and found her to be looking into his eyes.

For a single moment he did not want to let go. "Pharaoh?"

Atem blinked at Mahado's voice and looked up at his priest who for once looked completely relaxed. "Want to go back?" he teased.

His old friend grinned. "What I would not give, but alas, work calls us." Atem nodded and pulled Anzu up with him.

"Stay safe, Anzu." He said softly, making her smile.

"Yes, sir." She said.

~o~

Mana was working on an attack spell in the empty classroom when Mahado walked in, surprisingly; he looked really relaxed, more so then usual. It made her pause. "Who are you and what did you do to Master Mahado?" she asked.

He blinked and looked over at her. "Nothing, I am . . . relaxed. Is that so wrong?" his brow rose slightly.

"No, you're just . . . never relaxed. That's all." She mumbled to herself. Mahado smirked before looking at the spell book she was studying.

"Attempting attack spells again?"

"Yeah, Maut thought it would be funny to make the mountain of books over there fall on top of me," she said, pointing to the large amount of books in the corner that looked hastily stacked. "So I decided that if she was going to hurt me, I would hurt her."

Mahado blinked. He walked over and carefully closed the spell book, making sure there was no forcefulness in the action. "Mana, I know Maut is rude, I know she is very . . . forward, but she is no enemy, certainly not compared to the enemies I have seen."

"Then tell her to back off!" Mana huffed. "She has it in her head that I'm after you despite the many times I told her I had no interest." Lie, not that he needed to know.

Mahado sighed. "Perhaps I should separate my classes now."

"That would be nice." Mana said. "I would be able to concentrate and if you paired the starters up with the advanced I could get even more help."

Mahado smiled. "And what were to happen if I made Maut an advanced student?"

The girl rolled her eyes. "Yeah, like that will ever happen. She's good with magic, but she's more interested in catching your eye then learning." Mana pointed out. "Even if she applied herself, she still wouldn't get in. Advanced students are to show kindness, give a helping hand to all who need it, and is willing to vow and become the Pharaoh's eternal servant. Sorry, but I don't see Maut becoming Atem's servant, for anything."

Mahado was slightly miffed at her logical answer. She had hit the key points, the reasons as to why Maut would never become an advanced student like she wished to be. He sighed and sat down in his chair in front of his student. "Would you be willing to become an advanced student?" he asked.

Mana smiled, it was wistful. "I would love to but to be the Pharaoh's eternal servant means I have to give up the life I've always wanted."

"And that is?"

"To have a family of my own. I want a husband in the future, kids. I don't think that would be possible if I were to be Atem's eternal servant." She said.

Mahado fell silent. "Atem is not that cruel to deny one's chance of happiness." He said softly. "He has not told me I must remain alone all my life." He pointed out.

Mana shrugged. "If that's the case, sure, I'll go for it."

"Then tomorrow vow before the Pharaoh."

"Huh?" she blinked in shock.

Mahado grinned slyly at her, making her heart stutter a bit. "You think I have not noticed how at night you sneak into the classroom when your sister is asleep no doubt, that I have not noticed how you slip into the advanced books and practice, diligently. I know you can do more than just make all your fingers glow. You show much kindness to all those around you, even Maut, to a point. You help out the starters quite a bit; all you need to do is go vow before the Pharaoh."

Mana gulped, her face flushed. "That's it, just to become an advanced student?" she blinked. "Could I tell Samira that?"

He smiled. "You can."

Mana bounced up but paused when he didn't move. "What?"

"Would you like for me to help you with that spell you were working on, future advanced student?"

Mana grinned like a crazy lady and nodded. For the next two hours she listened to her teacher and perfected yet another spell but to her, this would be her favorite attack spell. She looked down at the name of the spell. '_Dark Burning Attack_.' She grinned. '_Point for me, zip for Maut._'

* * *

Kisara was having the weirdest time with her Ka, ever. She could summon it; she knew it because she'd been practicing but every time it felt like someone was yanking her soul out of her body, leaving her slightly confused on the matter. She wanted to tell Seto but she doubted he had an answer to what was happening to her or maybe he did have an answer . . .

"Kisara!"

'_No, please, Nefret, go away!_' Right, like that was really going to happen. Kisara turned to the pretty female. "Hi, Nefret."

"Are you having problems?" she asked bending down slightly over Kisara, who was sitting.

"Yeah . . ." Okay, so she may not like the girl but she knew stuff. "I think I'm pretty close to summoning my Ka but the problem is, every time I get close to summoning it, it feels like someone is yanking my soul from out of my body."

Nefret blinked. "Kisara, that is something you should inform Master Seto of."

"Oh." Great. "Well, do you know where he is right now?"

"I believe I last saw him in the throne room." Nefret said.

"Thanks." Kisara said and quickly left. Nefret made her nervous so much so she had gone to Anzu who gave the suggestions of jealousy and suspicion which pretty much summed up her whole experience with Nefret.

When Kisara came to the throne room she saw Seto talking with the other priests. She walked up to him and silently waited until he was done speaking with the priest named Teana. Isis, the oldest priestess noticed her and made a gesture behind him, making Seto look back. "Kisara?"

"Umm, question about the Ka, I can summon it but every time I get close it feels like someone is sucking my soul out of my body. Is this normal?" she asked.

He blinked before smiling. "Yes, it can be rather frightening on the first time, anyone can tell you that."

Isis nodded. "When I summoned my Ka for the first time I was dealing with the same situation."

"Oh, okay." So it was normal, but that didn't explain the reason why she blacked out and had the weirdest dream of flying through the sky. It was cool but when she woke up she was in a cold sweat, weak limbs . . . okay, she had to tell him. "Umm, but I . . ." she trailed off, prompting her teacher to lean towards her slightly.

"Yes?"

"I blacked out and I woke up feeling really weak." The priests blinked, Seto was frowning fiercely.

"You blacked out?" she nodded. Seto walked over to a spot and waved her over. "I want you to summon your Ka again, this time let it happen. I will summon my own." He said and walked over across from her. Nervous about the sudden audience, Kisara took several deep breaths before closing her eyes and whispered softly to the Ka within her.

She felt a flash of power making her open one eye. Seto had summoned his own Ka, and she could feel that Anzu and Atem had walked in to see what the commotion was all about. Even more nervous than before, she calmed her nerves and asked the dragon from within to come forth.

~o~

Anzu had walked in with Atem after he got through with whatever had to be done to make them leave the island, which was what they were discussing about. They paused upon noticing Kisara standing some feet from Priest Seto, looking extremely nervous. She watched as a blue warrior appeared with a huge sword. Interesting, this must be the Kas she'd been hearing about. Kisara shuffled a bit, making Anzu frown. "She's nervous."

Atem nodded. "Many always are when they summon their Ka for the first time in front of people. It is easier for people to judge one another when they see what someone truly is on the inside."

Anzu decided that made sense considering that, from what everyone was saying about a Ka, it was like seeing their true self. "Kisara shouldn't have to worry about people judging her. I've known her for most of my life, she's very kind."

Atem turned to his friend at the confidence in her voice. '_So sure_.' He thought. His thoughts were cut off when he saw that Kisara was glowing brightly, a white near blinding light. Wings, dragon wings formed from her back before floating up. From the light a white dragon with blue eyes formed. It was then that he saw Kisara shiver before collapsing.

Anzu felt her mind slip. She didn't think to blame the dragon; she just wanted to get to her sister. Without hesitating, she bolted towards Kisara. Seto was almost to her, but Anzu merely reacted and pushed him away with a snarl. "Stay away from her!" she was about to punch him, just to get the message across when the guards rushed forward, seeing a threat to the priest.

Anzu realized then what a stupid move she'd just done when a white tail surrounded her. Blinking, Anzu looked up at the dragon that was now bearing down on the guards, pearly white teeth bared. Taking a step away, she turned to Seto. "S-sorry, I just . . . freaked." She said, a heavy blush spreading across her cheeks. Seto gave her a slight smirk.

"I can understand that." He said. Anzu, now that she knew he'd slightly forgiven her, she turned to the dragon and looked at it straight in the eyes. She blinked in shock at what she could see. She held out her hands, allowing the dragon to lower its head, allowing her to hug the snout and jaw, sort of, it was really big.

"Kisara."

Atem blinked as he walked to stand next to Seto who had carefully picked Kisara's body up. "What do you mean?"

"You told me that a Ka is the mirror of ones' soul, correct?"

"Yes . . . ?" he said, not sure where she was going with this.

"This is Kisara, this is not a mirror, this is her." Anzu said. The dragon seemed to smile, before nudging her a bit too much, making her fall back. Laughing, Anzu continued to hold the dragon, knowing that it was her sister . . . her sister's true form.

"Anzu?"

She looked up to see Mana and Mahado looking on in shock. Anzu just smiled. "It's only Kisara, Mana, just her true self, come look in her eyes."

Mana bounced forward, trying to hide her fear but when she came up to the white dragon she smiled and started hugging like Anzu. Seto, still holding Kisara's body, stepped forward slightly.

Anzu noticed the movment, making her look to the human Kisara and then turned to the dragon. "I know you may not want to do this, but could I have Kisara back in her body now?" she asked nicely. Seriously, why act rude to a dragon of all things?

The dragon flashed white and for a few seconds nothing happened as everyone stared at the pale girl. Finally, she twitched and her eyes flickered open. "Huh?" she said, obviously discombobulated. She then took note that she was in someone's arms. Anzu elbowed Atem, who was now standing in between her and Mana. He flashed her a quick smile as Kisara slowly looked up and blushed as she sputtered. "_Whyareyouholdingme_!?" she squeaked.

It was Seto's turn to blush, making it hard for Atem to hold in his laughter. The priest quickly put Kisara down. Kisara stumbled towards her sisters with a confused look on her face. "Why was he holding me?" she asked in English.

Anzu grinned. "Let's just say you gave us all a scare, Kisara."

She paled. "I fainted again, didn't I?"

"Naw," Mana said. "You kind of just removed your soul from your body and became this really pretty dragon, that's all."

Kisara's jaw dropped and she turned to Seto. "I removed my soul?!"

He nodded. "You can summon your true self, Kisara, which is something you should be very proud of." Yeah, but to her, that wasn't all that cool or something she would be proud of but to put on a front, Kisara gave a shaky smile.

Atem walked forward, thankfully stealing the spotlight from Kisara. "Mana, would you take Kisara to your room so she can rest." He said.

Mana nodded and grabbed Kisara's hand and led her to their shared room. Anzu looked over at Seto nervously. "Umm, I'm really, really sorry." She said again. Seto looked at her for some time before he sighed.

"It is fine. I can understand. You were only worried for your sister's safety."

She still felt bad . . .

"Anzu."

"Huh?" she turned to see Atem standing next to her, smiling slightly.

"You should go rest as well, that spell effects you as well."

"Yes sir." She said, just loud enough for him to hear her. Atem blinked and looked at her retreating form. His heart thumped again and pulled slightly, making him slightly uncomfortable. How was she able to make him feel this way?

* * *

Akuktata stood in front of the massive bronze mirror, a serious look on her face. She had just learned that Atem had guests, three female guests, and one of them he was close to. Anger curled in her gut. For years she had held Atem's heart truly and now she was losing it to some chit who did not even belong in Egypt!

Her eyes narrowed. "Atem is mine." She growled.

* * *

Hmm, so now Akuktata knows about our ladies, more specifically, Anzu.

So, Kisara and her Ka, in the manga some old really fugly guy talked about her being able to remove her soul from her body. I tried to make the situation fit as much as possible and since I can't really stand the anime all that much, (Due to the fact that 4**** messed it up, the characters, and removed all the cool parts and whatnot, it's easily seen as why I follow the manga more so then the anime.) I believe you can see where I had to go over this chapter a few times just to make sure everything fit. NOTE: If you guys see anything the makes you go, "?" or "What?" just ask. (I'll try not to give a bull-poopie answer.)

More memory sharing will resume! Promise!

Second note, (I know, I know. "German, stop making notes and work on the next freaking chapter!") So . . . the Powers. I found one name, but since it won't give me the guy's specific rulling dates I just picked a name that was close towards Atem's time. I won't say it's 100% correct(because I'm not that stupid...)but at least I'm not making up some random name and totally writing some serious bull-poopie. If you guys could possible help me find the rulers NAMES, I will be grateful, so much so it won't be funny. I know I'm going to make up one group of a tribe ruled by women, like the Amazons. Perhaps someone else after Atem? Only I know that. :3 hee hee!

Thank you for reading, have a nice day or night!

:D


	11. Tender Moments

Hi everyone. I am soooo sorry about not updating. I did want to but at the time I had no WiFi at all so when I came up north I was hoping I could get it but it turned out the WiFi wasn't working all that well as I'd thought it would. (I think it hates my computer for some reason...) Anyway, so I am back with another chapter, finally. I'll be updating _The Beach House _in a few seconds.

So, this chapter is really long. (about 15 pages.) The ideas and fluffy moments just flew off my fingers, feeding my word document instead of depriving it and torturing me. :)

Please enjoy!

Disclaimer, I own nothing.

* * *

The Fountain of Time

Chapter 11

Anzu was sitting on the balcony, thinking about the _'Powers'_ that Atem was so flustered about. As far as she knew about political power, the problems of the modern world always came back to her. Her mind was stuck in the modern world which wasn't really a surprise since she was in the past when she was actually born in the future. '_I wonder how Mom is . . . I bet she's totally freaking out_.' The thought made her smile.

Her Mother would have loved it here, she would have gotten to meet her favorite Egyptian scribe, and no doubt she would be asking question after question about the mysteries that plagued the future about Egypt. '_Maybe I should leave clues for her about the places and how important they were to the people._' Anzu smirked. "But that would be cheating." She laughed.

"What would be cheating?"

Anzu turned to see Bastet sitting on her bed, petting Tena. "Giving my mother hints." The goddess seemed to understand what she was talking about and smiled in response.

"Yes, that would be cheating." Anzu looked over to see that King had sauntered into the room.

"Like the friend I picked out for Tena?" she asked. Bastet looked over her shoulder and smiled.

"Ah, I know your mother, little one." She said softly. King's ears flickered as he leapt up onto the bed, allowing the goddess easier access. "You have named him King?"

"Back in my time, we call his kind King Cheetahs even though it's only a mutation of the genes, the spots, well, more so stripes make them look bolder and more majestic, supposedly."

Bastet nodded. "Yes, but you have named him well, his is very proud of the name you gave him." Anzu smiled.

"What happened to Kasmut, by the way? I haven't seen her in a while."

"Kasmut has gone back to my realm to find a mate to her liking." The goddess paused to smile slyly at Tena. "But it seems that Tena has chosen to stay." Tena was now hiding under the covers, glaring at the cat goddess. Anzu laughed.

"I figured she would get lonely." She stood up and hugged the cheetah under the sheets to find her ears, instantly getting Tena to purr. "Besides, my little girl deserves the best." Tena sniffed, making both women laugh. King curled up next to Tena, purring contently. "So why did you stop by, Bastet?"

"I have simply come to give you a little information, information you might like to know." The goddess said slyly. Anzu frowned at her tone.

"What do you mean?"

"A tribe is coming, a tribe controlled by women. They are much like the group you know as the Amazons." Anzu blinked.

"Okay, so why would I be interested in that?"

Bastet moved closer, her eyes laughing. "The leader is interested in Atem."

Anzu rolled her eyes. "What female isn't? Besides, if you think about, Atem is not the type to submit meekly, he's a king, a ruler." She pointed out the obvious.

The cat goddess nodded. "That it where the conflict comes in, she wants him, she likes his fighting spirit, but it is the very same fighting spirit that keeps her from getting what she wants."

"Let me guess, and this lady still vies for his heart despite the fact that's he's probably told her to back off." Anzu said dramatically.

"Correct."

Anzu paused for a moment before she looked over at Bastet. "Are you serious?" she asked. The goddess only nodded. "Crap, is this another part in which I have to help with? Help Atem figure out whom to chose or something?"

Bastet nodded. "I prayed that Atem would have some help, a guide of some sort."

"I know the rest, my sisters and I are somehow the ones who will help him. So tell me," she crossed her arms. "Why would I find it interesting?"

The goddess smiled. "Hathor has told me what is in your heart, young Anzu." Anzu felt heat skitter across her cheeks.

"Hathor . . . ?"

"The goddess of Love," Bastet grinned. "She has told just about every God and Goddess of what she sees in your heart, there is a rumor that she and . . ." she paused as if deciding whether or not to speak of what she knew. "A _specific_ goddess is plotting something."

Anzu decided she didn't like the sound of that. "Umm, could you tell them to lay off maybe?"

Bastet smirked. "Now why would I do that?" Well, there went her divine support. "Now, now, Anzu," the goddess chuckled. "You still have my support, but not within that _area specifically_."

Anzu groaned. "Is it because he's sleeping with me? If it is, then I swear to all that is freaking holy, he's only sleeping in my room because whatever the hell is in his old room is trying to kill him, or consume him, I don't know."

A frown formed on Bastet's face. "Yes . . . before Queen Tey passed on to the Afterlife she got rid of the jealousy in her heart, the pain . . . that Atem caused."

Anzu blinked. "That Atem caused?"

Bastet sighed and went out to the balcony, Anzu followed. "Atem told you of his 'love's choice', no?"

"Yeah, we talked about it but I didn't poke about where I probably shouldn't have."

"Akuktata, a young noble that loves Atem, he loved her."

"You say it in past tense." Anzu said softly.

"Atem was infatuated with Akuktata, call it young love. He was consumed with her, simply over the fact that he could privately deny what Egypt wanted of him . . ." the goddess gave a sad smile. "Since he was very young he has wanted freedom to travel, his birth prevented that." She sighed. "But when he married Tey he hated her, she was the very embodiment of his duty to the throne, his chains that would never be removed, only in death."

Ow, that was painful to hear.

"But when she first became pregnant, it changed him, just like it would for any person with a heart and soul. He started to stay closer to her, he became closer to her and he understood that his 'love' for Akuktata was false. When the second child came, Ana, he was smitten." The goddess smiled. "When I looked down from my home all I could see was him holding his little girl, smiling tenderly."

"But then she was killed by some assassin."

"Yes, the assassin is still alive, he will remain alive until he passes on of natural cases, but he will forever be tortured. Atem had his father at the time, and they both decided upon the assassin's fate. His mother soon became ill and passed on; his father soon joined her but before leaving he had Atem promise to watch over Egypt. On Atem's coronation a war started up, I'm sure you know of what I'm talking about."

"Yeah, my mom talked about it. The Great War." She said softly.

"During this time, Tey was pregnant, but she did not know it. She miscarried but a month later she became pregnant with the third child, stillborn, and the fourth child was a stillborn, it happened around when you first came here."

Anzu felt like someone had sucker-punched her stomach, making her lean over slightly. Now that she knew of such information, she felt like a complete asshole. She'd in a way laughed at his pain. "I'm such an ass." She said softly. She stood up. "I have to talk to Atem."

"Why?"

"Because, I need to apologize to him about something." She said softly and quickly left to find him. She stopped a few servants and asked them if they knew where the Pharaoh was. One of them said something about some private place but to hell with privacy, she needed to apologize to him. Now.

"Some gut direction help, Bastet." She said under her breath. Anzu paused upon hearing soft laughter and then she felt a pull. She followed the pull until she came to a very large room, the ground was smooth like most of floors, only these had a glossy look to them. In the center of the room or close to the center anyway, there was a large rectangle hole, it was probably about the size of an Olympic pool, only it was slightly bigger and wasn't filled to the brim with water. It was sloped too.

The shallow end probably only covered the feet, but towards the deepest part, it only came up to the knees. The water was clear and clean, surprisingly enough. '_It must be the magic I've been hearing about that's keeping this pool cleaned_.' She thought.

Sudden she felt power, raw, pure, unhindered power. Holy crap where was that coming . . . never mind . . . big dragon. Big! It was red too, it had serpentine body with two jaws, one big and the other one was . . . eh, smaller? Still could rip anyone to shreds. The dragon had yellow eyes and a blue gem thing on its forehead. The wings were no doubt huge but she couldn't tell as they were folded up at the moment. Spines went down the dragon's back. The claws were pretty big too . . .

Movement made her hide behind a pillar. Peeking out she blushed, no doubt she looked like a lobster at this point. There Atem was, walking around in a longer version of a shendyt and that was about it with the exception of his gold leg bands and arms bands. He still had his earrings in that he usually wore. The long shendyt was a dark purple with a gold strip running down the front of it. His crown was not on . . . he looked normal. Of course then she noticed how his abdomen was tight . . . let's see, two, four, six, eight. That looked to be an amazing eight-pack he had there. Gods he was ripped, but not overly so. Oh no, her mind was going south, no, nooo . . .

Too late.

'_I wonder how good he is in bed_?' she thought to herself. Bad mind, dirty mind! The dragon seemed to lean forward slightly, making her eyes widened as Atem laid a single hand on the dragon's snout. His shoulders rose and lowered, a sigh perhaps. She walked out from behind the pillar and immediately felt the red dragon's gaze on her. '_Let's try not to scream_.' Atem blinked and looked over at her.

There was no way to get out of this now, if she was breaking some serious protocol then oh well, she had to apologize. "Anzu?"

"Hi." She said and jumped down to join him in the odd 'pool'. She walked up to him, keeping her eyes on the massive dragon behind him all the while. Atem noticed and smiled.

"Human female is not in his diet, Anzu." He chuckled.

"Yeah," she pointed to herself while speaking. "But this person doesn't know that."

"But now you do." He said. "Now, why are you here?"

Now it was going to get awkward . . . "I-I came to apologize." She said softly. Atem blinked before walking right up to her, as if it was okay to just walk around shirtless or tunic-less, whatever they called it but then again one of his priests did it too.

"Why, as far as I know you have not done anything insulting."

She looked down at the ground. "I . . . I belittled your pain that day." She said softly. "When we first met. You told me, well, asked me if I knew of any young man who had watched four of his kids die and wife, I pushed it aside, thinking little of it . . . I belittled that pain and for that," she looked up into his eyes. "I'm sorry."

Atem was speechless for a few moments. He had nearly forgotten that fight when they had first met. "Anzu . . ."

"I really am sorry." Her voice was strained. "I . . ." she trailed off, not knowing how to put the guilt she was feeling into words. Gods, she was about to cry! Anzu closed her eyes to prevent the tears from slipping out when she felt warm arms wrap around her.

"I forgive you." He said softly.

"How?" she asked him, shocked. "How could you forgive me for being that freaking insensitive?"

Atem chuckled. "Because I can." He said, as though it was the simplest thing in the whole world.

"How do you do it?" she asked softly, looking up into his crimson eyes. "How do you live with that . . . pain?" she asked.

Atem sighed. "I loved them, whether they were taken from me or other factors, I got to love them. They were mine; I felt their many kicks through Tey's belly many times. I got the chance to love them, it was better than having no chance at all." He said. Anzu shook her head.

"I wouldn't be able to do it. If I think about it, had my mother lost me, she probably would have gone a little bit crazy." She shivered. For a baby to die . . . with little or no chance to actually grow and experience life itself. The thought was terrifying and made her shake inside. Change of subject, now. "So, umm, what is this place?" she asked, curious.

Atem pulled away, making her blush slightly as she realized just how much it didn't bother her to stay in his arms. "When I was still a child, my youngest sister, Chaya, was playing on the banks of the Nile when she was nearly killed by a crocodile, but even after she would still go play in the Nile's waters so my father made this. The water is low to prevent a very young child from possibly drowning, while it is deep enough for just about anyone who wants to cool off. When my siblings left I started to come here to find comfort and so with the help of Mahado, I had him infuse the water with two spells, one to keep it clean and two to make the water relaxing."

"Oh . . . so I interrupted your peace time. Sorry, again." Atem chuckled and watched as she walked around the 'waterhole', as he liked to call it. When she got to the deep end she squeaked in surprise and slipped in. Atem walked over and looked down to see her sitting on her butt, blushing brightly.

She was cute when she did that.

Then his eyes traveled down, making them widen in shock. The linen dress she had been wearing was now like a second skin, clinging to her body and showing off that splendid chest of hers. He controlled the blush that would have crept up on him as he held out his hand to help her up. "I probably should have warned you about the stone that was used to build this place. When wet it has the tendency to be very slippery."

She only smiled. "At least I've learned my lesson." She laughed but trailed off upon realizing how close she was to him, and his bare chest. They both paused for a moment and Anzu felt her heart pick up just enough when she could have sworn she noticed him lean in a little but she was brought out of whatever kind of trance she and Atem had been in when she squeaked, the red dragon appeared right behind Atem making her jump a little. Apparently, this dragon didn't like it when he was left out of things. "Mind if I . . . pet him?" she asked, a little shaky about what could have happened if this dragon had not interrupted. '_Were we about to kiss?_' she thought. Her heart felt giddy, a commonly accruing feeling she felt when it came to this man.

Atem nodded, seemingly unaffected by whatever that had been, but on the inside, unknown to Anzu he was growling in frustration. "Slifer will not mind, just do not touch the jewel on his forehead. Think of it like an opening to his thoughts, feelings, only, he is a god."

Anzu got close enough to rest her hand on Slifer's snout. He was huge and just under her hand she could feel the power there. She looked at the blue jewel and wondered what would actually happen if she touched the jewel. Would the dragon blast her to pieces or would he challenge her? She took a peek to see him looking right back at her, his yellow golden eyes seemed to strip her bare of only her soul.

She took a deep breath and with one finger she pressed it to the blue stone. _Countless sunrises and sunsets, the stars, younger than the ones in the sky now_. Anzu pulled away before it could potential get personal, as much as she'd like to know the mind of a god, now was not the time since it was her first meeting with him. "Nice to meet you, Slifer." She said softly.

Atem sighed irritably. "Anzu, sometimes you truly need to control yourself. It is not always good to know what is within the mind of a god." He said.

Anzu rolled her eyes. "For your information, all I got to see was the sun rising and setting, a lot, and the stars. I pulled away before it could get personal. Trust me Atem, I know when and when not to poke people, and gods." She turned to the dragon. "Isn't that right, Slifer?" The red dragon's golden eyes narrowed slightly, but there was no malicious intent within his aura. Maybe amusement though. "See, he agrees with me."

Atem glared at the dragon. "Traitor." He muttered before smiling at the dragon. Slifer seemed to dissipate right before her, turning into a soft red mist.

"Uh, what just happened?"

"Slifer returned to his realm." Atem said with a shrug. Anzu sighed and looked around and spotted Atem's 'king uniform' along with that purple cape she always liked. She ran over, grabbed it, and placed it over her shoulders.

"It's mine!" she cried out and ran. Atem smirked, grabbed his clothes and ran after her. He did not want to make her angry so he always stayed two steps behind her. Atem would once again have to agree with his first thought when she put his crown on at the banks of the Nile.

He liked it when she wore his stuff. More importantly, he would have loved to know what she tasted like.

* * *

Mana was doing some last minute learning with her starter friends. Mahado had announced to the entire class that as of today, she would formally move from a starter to an advanced student. The look on Maut's face.

Priceless.

All of her friends had been so happy for her, giving her hugs and prayers of good luck. When she had no one around her Maut came up from behind and whispered menacingly in her ear. "Just because you will be an advanced student does not mean he will be yours. Watch your back, Mana." The young woman hissed before she left.

Mana felt a chill run up and down her spine. She knew of all the plots that went on in the Egyptian royal families. Whether they wanted the throne or they just wanted to get someone out of the way. Mana was in Maut's way, and even if she didn't have a lot of power that didn't mean she didn't have some people who were loyal to her alone.

"Mana."

"Huh?" she spun around to see Mahado watching her worriedly.

"It is time to vow before the Pharaoh."

"Oh, right, vowing." She said, rubbing her suddenly very sweaty palms against her short linen dress.

Mahado's gaze narrowed. "Tell me what happened, Mana."

She gulped. "Maut . . . she came up behind me and told me to watch my back . . ." The priest's eyes widened in shock. She . . . Maut had stepped over the line. Completely.

"I will talk to her about it . . . and remove her from all of my classes."

Mana blinked and looked up at her teacher. "Remove her, but I thought you said she had to do something really drastic."

"She just did do something drastic; she threatened to kill a future servant of Pharaoh Atem. He does not appreciate that." Mana nodded and followed in silence. Wow, why in the world did she not tell him about all those other life threatening messages Maut had told her?

"Mahado."

She looked up to see Atem wearing the usual with Anzu sitting against the wall beside the throne, beside her was some ink-looking stuff and she was holding a brush of some sorts. '_She's drawing again . . . good_.' Mana decided with a small smile. "I believe I told you about an advanced student."

The Pharaoh smiled. "Indeed you did." He looked over to Mana and smiled. It was soft, warm, and kind, like something she would imagine from a father or big brother. '_Did I have a brother and father once_?' she thought to herself.

"Do you remember the vow I told you?"

She nodded and fell on her left knee. "I Mana, apprentice of Priest Master Mahado, do so solemnly swear that I will stand beside you, forever pledging my soul to your service." Now to make it personal, make another vow to him, one that would seal the deal. "I vow to be your friend whenever you feel alone, to tell you the truth even though it may hurt." That was the important part, to be his friend when he felt he had no where else to go.

She looked up to see his crimson eyes smiling. He walked down the steps that lead to the throne. "I Pharaoh Atem, King of Egypt, accept you as my eternal servant, your soul my eternal servant." He smile widened. "I also accept your vow of friendship." She smiled. Awesome, she had a Pharaoh for a friend. "Rise, Mana, apprentice of Priest Master Mahado, as an advanced student." Mana stood up, grinning like a crazy lady. "How does it feel to be an advanced student?" he asked.

"Awesome." She laughed. She walked over to speak to Anzu who was still sitting, still drawing. "Aren't you proud of me?" Anzu said nothing, only holding up her drawing to see it was Atem with herself bowing before him. Mana frowned. "Now hold up." She said and started to point out what she actually should have been drawing, leaving Anzu eye rolling.

Atem walked over to Mahado, smiling. "How is your advanced student?" he asked.

The priest blushed before glaring at his King. "She's just fine as you can see." He huffed. "I need to discuss something with you, Atem." He said. Atem blinked and watched his best magician carefully.

"Speak." He said softly.

"Maut threatened Mana's life . . . I ask permission that I strip her of her spells and powers and never allow her in my classes. Never again."

Atem sighed. "I will have to tell my cousin first, Mahado."

The magician nodded and left. "Mana." He called. Atem turned and watched as the girl gave Anzu a hug before bouncing off after Mahado.

"Did you catch what Mahado and I were talking about?" he asked her. Anzu looked up, her blue eyes hard as sapphires he thought of when looking into her eyes.

"Something about Maut threatening Mana. Atem, sorry to say but if I find Mana dead, I will probably kill her. Warn your cousin of that."

"Would you go through with it?"

"When Mana didn't deserve the brat's anger for her own insecurity of her own beauty and her ability to get the man she wanted, yeah, especially if I find Mana broken in any way. I will break Maut just as bad as she did to my little sister. You would do the same."

Atem nodded, knowing that he would break Maut if he found out that she had been the cause if one of his sisters had mysteriously died. "She will be stripped of her powers once I inform my cousin, her father, of what she did."

She sighed and stood up but as she looked forward, she found Atem's chest instead of the room. Anzu looked up to find him looking at her right in the eye. Her breath caught in her throat like it did in that 'pool' area earlier as she attempted to step away but she couldn't move. '_Oh my gods, move, Anzu, MOVE_!'

But she couldn't.

She could feel her eyes getting bigger as he leaned down and this time he successfully captured her lips with his. '_His lips are so soft._' She thought, her eyes closing as she took in the sensations he was causing to ripple through her body. She wanted to kiss back but damn her naivety, she was completely new to _this kind of kissing_. His hands came to cup her face before he slowly parted from her.

Her eyes fluttered open a little bit, her knees felt like they would give out any second. Slowly she looked up at him again and felt the need to press her lips against his. She could tell that he wanted to as well and just as he was about to lean in and kiss her again, they were interrupted.

"Atem?"

Atem nearly snarled as he spun around but controlled his emotions. Akuktata stood there before him, watching him with lust-filled eyes. "Akuktata, how may I help you?" he asked stiffly, his eyes narrowing somewhat. Anzu was gasping softly; clinging to Atem's back, burying her face into his cape. Holy crap, holy crap! What had that been? Yes, it was a kiss but dang where in the world had it come from? '_Does he like me?_' she wondered as she blushed heavily.

"I was wondering if I could stay within the castle and visit you, spend time with you." She said, her eyes soft and tender, open and vulnerable. Atem inwardly groaned as he realized that he could not deny her for part of his heart still lingered with her, even though it was suddenly starting to be pulled sharply away due to the young woman right behind him.

Anzu took a gulp of air before stepping away a little bit. She stepped out from behind Atem and gave a shaky smile. "I'll see you tomorrow for your next lesson." She said and quickly stepped down from the throne. The lady, Akuktata, was watching her with sharp cold eyes that could kill. Anzu decided to come off as nonchalant, just to show her that she wasn't easy to scare. One brow went up. "Yes?"

Akuktata blinked before looking back at Atem. Anzu wanted to smirk and give the bitch the bird but she decided to hold back and simply wave Atem goodbye. When she was gone, Atem stepped down so he stood in front of his former mistress. "Who is she?" Akuktata said, her eyes searing into him.

"She is my teacher in the ways of the world, Aku." He said, using her pet name he had given her when they were younger. "She shows me what is beyond Egypt and the countries I trade with and in return I offer her sisters and herself shelter."

"When will she leave?"

Atem's brows rose slightly. "Since her lessons have only started out and I am sure she has much to share, she will not be leaving soon." Akuktata's fists clenched. Atem noticed and smiled. "Jealous, Aku?"

"Of course I am!" she snarled savagely. "I am love's choice, am I not?" she asked softly then.

Atem sighed. "Aku, the meeting is happening in a few days, I cannot be distracted, even by you." He said softly.

Akuktata looked away before her eyes flickered toward him. "Then I will return when the Powers leave." She said softly.

"So be it."

She turned and left, leaving Atem extremely frustrated. He raised his fingers to his lips. Her lips . . . Anzu's lips had been so soft . . . he wanted more from her now. Atem sat on his throne, resting his elbow on the arm of the throne while he rested his chin on his hand. Now he was aware of what he felt about her. A grin grew across his face. The question was, how to get her?

* * *

Anzu was in her washroom, staring at herself in the bronze mirror. She shivered and scolded herself for actually letting him kiss her like that, problem was, she liked it and if he came charging back in for another go, she had a pretty good idea that she would hold up, while he wasn't touching her but the moment he did, that was it.

She may have made the deal with him but Atem was still Pharaoh and if he wanted to lock her up in chains and never let her go, she seriously doubted even Bastet could save her. "You would be right, I would not be able to save you."

Anzu looked over to see Bastet, butt naked and taking a bubble bath that was suddenly . . . there. "You didn't have to tell me." She said. "He kissed me." She whispered.

"And you wanted to kiss back."

"Thank you Captain Obvious." She muttered and sat down on a stool. "Crap, it's going to be so awkward now."

"Why do you say that?"

Anzu looked up at the goddess. "Bastet, I'm practically his teacher! His teacher that . . . no, how am I supposed to teach him when I know that the moment he goes at me like that again I'll turn to silly putty!"

Bastet blinked. "But you should admit it before you become the 'clichéd deniable heroine'." Anzu froze at those words. She had promised herself that she wouldn't become the person in those books she'd read too many times. "You have already admitted that you are in the past. Now you must admit what is in your heart."

Anzu felt like banging her head against the wall, knowing that the goddess was correct. "Okay . . . so I feel something for Atem, but fuck, I don't know if its love."

Bastet nodded in agreement. "Sometimes it is not love at first."

"How about you ask Hathor to visit me. She might be able to explain this . . ." Anzu waved her hands to refer to the entire situation. "Situation I'm in."

Bastet snorted. "She'll give you an answer all right, she'll call in love and since she is the goddess of love, it will be like a slap in the face."

Okay, so maybe she didn't need Hathor at the moment. "That woman . . . was that Akuktata?"

"The woman that interrupted your kiss? Yes, she also plans to kill you, just to let you know so keep your daggers with you at all times, Anzu."

"Okay." She muttered and walked out of the washroom to see King practically smothering Tena with his snuggling, though she had a feeling Tena didn't care. "Well you two, do I have to keep you two separated as well?" she teased, earning a glare from Tena while King's eyes only seemed to glitter in amusement. Bastet came in to see Anzu on the bed with King on one side while Tena on the other, both purring happily.

"Goodness, am I not your goddess, you two?"

They both chirped but didn't move from their places. "I think they've made themselves a little too comfortable to move." Anzu grinned. Bastet rolled her eyes.

"So it seems . . ." she paused and tipped her head to the side before grinning widely. "Good night, Anzu."

Anzu blinked and had a really bad feeling about tha—

"Hello, Anzu." Atem.

Fuck. A. Duck.

Anzu looked over and gave him a lazy smile. "Hi. Had fun seeing Love's choice again?" she asked, intending the question to sound in an off-hand manner, instead it sounded like she was sneering and snide. Not a good sign. If he noticed it he didn't show it or take note of it as he removed his jewelry and cape. Anzu looked away, very determined not to look. She'd fallen already, no need to bury herself alive.

"You don't like Aku?" he asked softly. Crap, he even had a pet name for her . . . well, not that she blamed him, her name was a mouthful.

"I would if she wasn't a bitch to every female she meets. You did tell her I was your teacher, right?" She looked over at him now since he was in bed, ahem, on the other side, of course.

His crimson eyes flickered over to her blue ones. "I did but Aku has always been jealous when I am around other females, even my sisters are not excluded from her jealousy. It has always been her . . . well I would not call it a weakness but . . ." he paused for a moment. "Flaw."

Anzu's brows rose. "Really? As far as I know that is almost every female's flaw. Even Kisara."

"Kisara?" Atem blinked. "Why would she have reason to be jealous? I do not know of any female vying for Seto's attentions."

"Some lady named Nefret, I think." Atem nodded.

"Nefret, I remember her. I believe her father requested that someone teach her how to connect to her Ka. I owed him a favor, and so I got rid of it be having Seto teach her."

Anzu nodded. "Is she a noble or something?"

"Well, most noble and royal nobles can summon their Ka; Tey was a special case since magic did not run in her bloodline easily," he explained quickly. "Anyway, for a noble to become a royal noble, they must be able to summon their Ka without a DiaDhank, basically it must come from their soul."

"Okay, first off, what the hell is a DiaDhank?" she asked.

Atem got up and went to his designated area that they decided and held up a bracelet kind of thing that had actually always been on his arm, she just never took note of it. It was sort of . . . well, part of it was shaped like a wing but there was a little slot of flat surface. "This would be to summon those spirits we have caught and sealed away from those with black hearts."

"Oh, so to summon your own Ka you would be extra special or something." She said.

"Exactly. Which is why your sister, Kisara, is so special, to remove the soul itself and be conscious in both forms, it is a rare feat."

"Hmm, so if we were to be nobles the fact that Kisara could do what she can do would elevate us to . . . beyond royal noble or something?"

"It would earn you a place in my court."

"Oh, well, that's cool." She said. "So back to the subject, Nefret learned to summon her Ka without having to use the DiaDhank which elevate her entire family to the royal noble class."

Atem nodded and flopped down onto the bed. "Exactly. Most nobles, especially females, are spoiled the day they are born. Nefret was one of them but not to Maut's extent."

Anzu sat up. "Just how many spoiled rich noble brats are after you and your priests? Seriously!?"

Atem blinked. "Perhaps about a hundred or so, maybe more."

"Great." She said and buried her face into her pillow. "How many are willing to kill to get you?"

"All of them."

"You better pray to every fucking god you know that my sisters are still alive after all this is done and over with." She growled.

Atem smiled. "I will."

* * *

Kisara was staying up a little late, trying to actually stay conscious while summoning her Ka. It was a little harder then she thought it would be. "At least I'm not blanking out now." She muttered to herself. It was true, and she was proud of that fact. She still fainted but this time she could remember little flashes, feelings as the dragon and she would still be in her body. It was hard, but hey, she was getting there.

'_I wonder how Mom is doing?_' she thought. It had been on her mind recently, nine, maybe eight days they had been in the past and so far it was pretty nice but that also meant that it was probably nine or eight days away from the future, where Linda was. '_I hope she's not too worried_.' If Anzu had heard that thought she would have snorted and told Kisara that Linda should worry more.

"Does she still hold Mom accountable for that day . . . ?" Kisara wondered out loud.

"What day?"

Kisara jumped and looked over her shoulder to see Seto. "How in the world do you _do that_!?" she demanded.

"Do what?"

"Just . . . appear, out of no where like that?" Kisara huffed. The priest shrugged.

"Habit, but back to what I original asked, what day?"

"Oh . . . well, umm, you know how we traveled the world?"

"Yes."

"Well, our mother came with us when we were younger, when Anzu had just turned fourteen and I was still thirteen at the time, Mana was twelve, we went to this land that was in the middle of a civil war and it was . . . well it was really bad." She said softly. "Anzu had the habit of reading up on what was going on in the countries we would travel to and when she heard where exactly we were going, she wasn't happy." She couldn't remember much, all she knew that it was in a hot, tropical place with lots of plants.

_"Are you serious, Mom?!" A fourteen year-old Anzu glared up at her mother, her blue eyes narrowed into angry slits. "Why there?"_

_"Because, something came up and I wanted to see the ancient ruins that are in the sent pictures." Linda Mazaki said, as if that explanation was all she really needed._

_"So what?! Why are you taking us?!"_

_"Because, Kisara and Mana want to go." _

_Anzu looked ready to pop a blood vessel but she spun around and went into her room to pack up. "Fine, I'll go but the only reason is to watch out for Mana and Kisara. If one of them dies or both, it's your fault." The girl spat, flipping her long brown hair over her shoulder._

_Linda rolled her eyes._

_~o~_

_Anzu was sitting on one of the reed mats, her eyes flickering back and forth. Kisara looked over and gave her a small smile. "It'll be alright, Anzu. Nothing bad is going to happen."_

_The girl looked over, worried. "No Kisara, we are not alright, we're in a country that's experiencing a horrible civil war, and we're in danger just being here." A young Mana pouted._

_"Why do you have to be all doom and gloom, Anzu? Smile."_

_"Not a chance." She muttered._

_Linda came over, her eyes glittering excitedly. "We have a guide who will take us there." She said, sounding like a child. Anzu rolled her eyes and went back to studying her surroundings. While Mana and Kisara cheered Anzu stiffened and stood up when a man appeared from behind some bushes, then more._

_"We need to leave." She said quickly and turned but just as she was about to get her family's attention, a gunshot beat her to the punch, and chaos erupted._

Seto watched her, shocked. "A group of soldiers attacked the village you were in?"

Kisara nodded. "Yeah, it was . . ." she shivered. "It was really bad. At the time I was only a child, I didn't understand death and I didn't understand why people wanted to kill in the first place. I was naïve as was Mana."

"Most children are . . . what about Anzu?"

Kisara laughed. "She was still shocked, but not to the extent that Mana, my mother and I were. She had an idea of what could happen and it happened. I'll tell you some other time how exactly it went down but . . ." she shivered again. "I'm still not ready to look back at that event in detail." She said softly.

"Was it terrible?"

Kisara laughed bitterly. "Yeah, it was. I mean, would it not be the worst moment in your life if you were only a child and you had to watch as a village, once so very vibrant was suddenly stripped of all life?"

"I've seen it happen. I did have to go check on many villages during the Great War." He pointed out.

Kisara stood up, suddenly angry that he was shrugging off her experience like it was nothing. "In seconds?" she snarled. "Did you actually stand there in shock as an infant's life, an innocent who had barely tasted life, was stripped away in seconds?!"

Seto blinked and leaned back a little bit. Usually he could save a few before some of the soldiers got to the children . . . but seconds? "No survivors?"

"Only two, one the youngest child in the village, a newborn and the second child, a toddler. It was a small village." The anger dissipated and her voice returned to a hushed whisper. "Stripped of all life with the exception of two, in seconds . . . do you really think you can walk away from that event, unscathed?"

"No," Seto said, his voice uncharacteristically soft and gentle. "No I would not."

"When we found safety Anzu had exploded, it was the only time I had seen her actually get really angry at our Mom and my Mom didn't get angry with Anzu for raising her voice. Anzu was, all in all, furious that none of us had listened to her when she said it was dangerous to go to the said country." Kisara laughed, bitterly. "Mother learned that day that it was better to go explore a new place but make sure it wasn't in any . . . situation." She said.

Seto nodded. "That is understandable. A land torn by civil war is always the worst kind of war." He said.

Kisara blinked and realized that was what the Great War was about, sort of. "Isn't that what sort of happened in the war here? Some guy wanted power or something?"

"Yes, Lord Zorc, wanted power . . . and my father sided with him."

Kisara looked up to see pain, confusion and betrayal within his eyes, though his face was emotionless. "Why?" she asked, slightly unsure if she should be prying into this with him or not.

"He wished for I to be Pharaoh, he wanted to give me what he could not have, and that was the throne. But being a priest has allowed me a have a special window into the life of Pharaoh, though my cousin, Atem, does not show it, he is always exhausted by the end of the day. Your sister, Anzu, has helped with this quite a bit, but in the end I would not give up my title as Priest."

Kisara leaned back a bit. "How has she helped?"

Seto looked over at her for a moment before answering. "Before Queen Tey passed on to the Afterlife, Atem had a slight outlet at the time but where he could lay out all his frustrations on her and in turn she would support him and share the burden. Anzu has, in a sense, taken up that role but in a less intimate manner. Due to the deal, she does not have to bow and treat him like Pharaoh like others do so naturally, she treats him like what he is, human."

Kisara felt a little honored at that moment to actually talk to Seto for so long since usually he was almost always silent when it came to her lessons. "And here I thought Pharaoh was a God."

Seto laughed, and it was such a bitter sound . . . "To the people he is their mortal god . . ." the priest smirked. "Their mortal immortal."

"Kinda of contradicting." She said, stating the obvious.

"Yes, but to his family, he is no different."

"And yet they silently demand he be Pharaoh while they have the power to leave and be free." Kisara said softly. Seto turned to her before he sighed. It dawned on her then. "If he asked, you would take his place, but not just to gain power." She stated softly.

"Yes, but Atem knows that it is also my biggest fear to be Pharaoh, so he does not ask."

"And that was what frustrated you with your father," Kisara guessed. "You told him that you would take the throne if Atem asked you of it, but he took it wrong and sided with Zorc."

Seto looked over at her, shocked. " . . . Yes." Kisara elbowed her teacher softly, not to hurt, but to get his attention.

"Hey, I'm not active like my sister or as flexible as she is when it comes to combat and stuff like that, but I do have a good ear on me." She leaned against him. "If you need to spill out your own frustrations I'm here."

Seto looked at her in shock, but he felt his heart warm for the pale woman as his soul seemed to sigh. "Thank you, Kisara." He said softly. She smiled at him, making his heart stutter and jump a bit.

When he first had seen her, she had shocked him with her pale blue eyes, white hair, and pale skin. It had somehow imprinted into his mind and for a time, it was all he could almost think about. But when she had returned and became his student, he internally struggled with the strange feelings that no female had invoked in him before, and the want, the need, to teach her and get to know her. As a result she often left him speechless as he could not get his voice out of his throat.

Somehow today he had somehow gotten his words that had long remained stuck in his throat out. Perhaps it had taken a private memory to release the words he had to say to her?

"Your welcome, Seto." She said and stood up. "Good night." She said as she glided from the room, leaving him, still warm from her smile and kindness.

The priest sighed and a slow, easy smile spread across his face. "Good night, Kisara."

* * *

Okay! So that would be the end of the chapter. Some fluff and a KISS! Happy?

The end was a bit rushed but I hope you guys enjoyed it. If you peeps see anything please inform me. (Thanks!)

Thank you guys for reading and thank you for waiting for so long. I'll have the Beach House updated soon.

Bye!


	12. The Game of Mistress and Pharaoh

My gods this chapter took **FOREVER**! Hello everyone, long time no see. I'm sorry I haven't been around to update anything. Let's go into a list of my excuses, hmm? Final Tests, getting family together for my graduation, graduation prep, graduation itself, the graduation parties(and there was a lot of them.), my Tigger doggie, bless her soul, was put down(a HUGE downer, let me tell you.) and I had to deal with one of my nieces. : /

Lots going on in my life. *sigh*

But my writing fingers were revived by the talented music composer, Adrian Von Ziegler. (From YouTube.) And so, here is probably the most difficult chapter I have **EVER** dealt with before. It sort of went like this, "Wrote a thousand words, hmmm...nope, don't like it. Delete!" The same cycle over and over again until finally this came out of it. I have never been so frustrated with a chapter. (Well, maybe Dragon Princess but that's another story...) So anyway, thank you everyone for waiting for this update. I'm so sorry I couldn't get to it faster.

Disclaimer, I own nothing.

* * *

The Fountain of Time

Chapter 12

Atem looked towards where the green sea lay, knowing full well that the Powers were already on their way. It was one of them that he would have to be careful around. A tribal leader by the name of Adaeze wanted him but he knew her customs and knew he would not be able to live like that. There was no way he could accept being her husband and give up the right to actually be a man. He knew for a fact that the men of the tribe were just tools to breed, to use as slaves, and to be used as expendable soldiers.

Unlike some men, Atem could appreciate a woman who knew how to work any weapon and to speak for herself, he could respect the female warrior tribe but what he could not respect, above all, was their treatment towards men and outsiders.

"Thinking again?"

Atem jumped and turned to see Anzu walking toward him with a wide grin on her face. He glared at her before sighing. "I was thinking about Adaeze."

One brow went up. "Adaeze? Who's she?"

"One of the Powers after me." Atem sighed.

"Ah, the female warrior tribe." She said, her blue eyes flashing of some knowledge. Atem nodded but then turned to look over at Anzu again . . . something was different this time . . .

"Did your eyes become . . . brighter?"

She smiled. "No, usually whenever I have blue on the color makes my eyes stand out even more." She pulled on her linen dress that he now realized was a pale blue.

"Oh." He said.

"So how will you disillusion Adaeze? Thinking about it on your terms, you must turn her down while being politically kind, I suppose."

Atem growled softly and leaned against the wall. It had been so much easier when Tey had been alive since she had been the only one to stop Adaeze from making a move on him. If only he had . . . "Oh!" he gasped as a slow smile spread across his face.

Anzu blinked. "What, you thought of something?" she asked but was surprised and thrown off balance slightly when he spun around to face her, his crimson eyes dancing with a strange light, almost like fire.

"The last time she was here Adaeze made no move for me because I had a queen."

"Oookay?" she said, stepping back one pace but he stepped forward.

"But if I have a mistress or another woman by my side she won't try anything."

Anzu blinked as she realized what he was thinking. "I am not playing mistress."

Atem paused before his eyes narrowed slightly. "Anzu, I am not asking you to let me have you, I am only asking for a cover so that Adaeze will back off, once she leaves we can go right on back to the norm."

She sighed. Bastet's voice whispered into her head. '_You are here to help, protect, and guide Atem…_' Gods dang it! "Fine, I'll do it! I'll help you; I will play mistress for you. Happy?" she sighed. A second later she was lifted up, spun around and was given a long full kiss.

"Oh thank Ra! Thank you, Anzu." He said. Anzu blushed as her heart stuttered over that smile of his. "Hopefully this will keep her from . . . attacking me."

Anzu steadied her heart. "So tell me, what makes you think that a mistress, someone who is expendable and can be tossed away without a moments thought, will stop this warrior queen?"

"Because, in her tribe, women are adored and men are just tools to use, but most importantly, another woman cannot try to court a taken man when he already has a partner of some kind. Only if the woman turns away from the man is he free to be courted by another."

Anzu blinked. "So basically if I smack the shit out of you and tell you I don't want to see your face anymore that means our relationship is over with . . . well, in her eyes?"

"Exactly . . . though I do hope you won't be saying that." He frowned a bit. Anzu giggled and smacked his arm.

"Of course not, idiot." She laughed. "If it's something you don't want and she's going after you like that weird shadow of Tey, hey, I've got your back." Atem smiled. "Speaking of the shadow, are you going to purify that space or something?"

The smile disappeared as he seriously thought about it. "I do not think a simple purification ceremony will make the shadow go away." Anzu sighed, looking annoyed and frustrated. "What? You do not like sharing a bed with me?" he asked before he smiled teasingly at her shocked expression. "Many women would kill to be in your shoes."

"Yeah and here's something I bet you don't get a lot. No." she said firmly and walked away. Atem rushed after her grabbing her by the waist and pulling her back toward him. "Hey, hands off Mr. Grabby!" she snapped though her pink cheeks said another reaction.

"I'm afraid not," he said, not even realizing he was slowly adopting her way of speaking. "We need to practice."

She blinked. "Practice what?"

"This." He said and pressed his lips to hers. This time Anzu knew how the kiss was going to affect her and this time she could fight it . . . and kiss back. Though she had little practice the next thing she heard was a low moan coming from his throat. Her hands came up to clutch his tunic as she pressed herself against his body, tipping her head up so he could have more access to her. Kissing him was like drinking the wine she had in Italy when she traveled there with her mother and sisters. She couldn't remember the name of it if her life depended on it but she could remember the taste.

A hint of something spicy, something bitter and rich, but under all of that something fruity and smooth that slipped over her tongue making her feel warm inside.

Atem was like the greatest wine. He had the spice, but there was nothing bitter in this kiss, only rich and consuming. No fruits she could taste in this but instead cinnamon and vanilla. He would make an interesting wine, one she had to admit, that only she would like or maybe others would like it too?

She moaned a little, making her mouth open just a tiny bit but that was all it took to take the kiss to the next level. His tongue was in her mouth and hale to the mother who made him. Anzu's arms clutched him tightly as he basically consumed her. When he parted his cheeks, and no doubt hers, were a dusty red and his eyes heavy and laced with lust.

"I didn't know kisses could be like that . . ." she said in a slightly shocked voice, breathless. She did know, she had read her fair share of some nice yummy books and that didn't include the Fifty Shades of Shit the world back in her time was hooked on, but damn he could kiss.

He gave her that smile, the one that could bring women to their knees and crawl all over him. "Well then, I guess I have something to teach you myself." He said into her ear.

She pulled away, her cheeks on fire. Anzu looked up at him to find he was smirking now. She glared at him. "I won't come willingly." She hissed.

Atem chuckled. "I hope not, where would the fun be if you came willingly?" he asked softly. Anzu huffed but didn't respond because quite frankly, where would the fun be? Her mother had said that Pharaoh Atem was also known as the King of Games, a man who had never lost a game in his life.

It was time to see if he lived up to that title.

She laughed. "I guess we'll have a very interesting relationship in the eyes of Adaeze. If I must play your game, then you must also play my own."

Atem's smirk grew as his eyes seemed to almost glitter at her challenge. "A challenge, I accept." He said and walked off; leaving the balcony he had stood on. Anzu watched him go, feeling frustrated and something else she couldn't name. What in the world had she gotten herself into?

"I hope no one was watching." She muttered.

**~o~**

Mana remained in her vase until she heard Anzu leave. When Mahado taught her the transportation spell she used the vases as her 'platforms'. So when she transported away after disagreeing with Mahado about something she expected the balcony that was connected to the throne room to be empty but instead she heard the voices of her sister and the Pharaoh and most importantly, she peeked out of her vase just in time to see them kiss.

It had made her jaw drop. She had read about kisses, seen some pretty hot ones on shows and movies, but to actually witness one in real life was not what she expected anytime soon, especially when it came to her older sister. '_I didn't even know she could kiss._' Mana thought. '_Well . . . like_ that_._'

Mana continued to sit in her vase as she thought about Anzu's kiss. Mana could have sworn that Anzu had said that she didn't like him at all, right? So why in the world was she kissing him? "Maybe it's just a crush right now . . . ?" she wondered. She gave up and transported to her room where Kisara was sitting reading some kind of book. "Hey."

Her pale sister looked up and gave her familiar soft smile. "Hi, what's up?"

"I want to know something." She said as she came to sit on the bed once out of the vase. "What are the . . . stages when it comes to loving someone?"

Kisara blinked. "I wasn't aware that there were stages to love."

"I mean, say Anzu is kissing Pharaoh, how would that relationship sort of . . . evolve?"

"Well, I know of nine stages total, there might be more but this is what I know. There is the infatuation stage, the understanding stage, stage of disturbances, opinion maker stage, the molding stage, the happy stage, stage of doubts, burst stage or, ahem, sexual exploration stage, and finally, the stage of complete trust."

Mana nodded. "Okay . . . but . . . I'm pretty sure Atem and Anzu have already gone through some of those stages already."

"Let me guess, you transported into a kissing scene, huh." Kisara giggled while Mana blushed.

"How was I supposed to know the balcony would be occupied!?"

Kisara shook her head. "Its fine, but it does make me wonder why she hid her feelings."

"Maybe it has something to do with Atem."

"Could be." Kisara said with a nod of her head. "Anyway, they're both pretty close I believe they have stage two, the understanding stage, down. She understands Atem to some extent and he understands her to the same extent. I think they're jumping around right now because I just don't see the infatuation; they've gone through plenty of disturbances, though I believe the real problem, when they get there, will be the molding stage. Both are dominate, both are incredibly competitive with each other and they trust each other."

Mana blinked. "So . . . there is no straight path for them?"

"Those stages don't necessarily happen in order, Mana. I know this one couple where it was love at first sight, they married, maybe had a little fit or two, plenty of kids, and they still look at each other with pure infatuation like new lovers. It's not something that's set in stone."

Mana blinked. "Oh . . . so their relationship . . ."

"Unstable or it could be a smooth ride all the way through."

"All . . . the way through? Like . . . you mean when they . . ." Mana paused, way too embarrassed to discuss Anzu's sex life.

"Up until they have sex." Kisara sighed. "Though that might not happen. Anzu is logical, so there's no way she would make an emotional attachment to Atem."

* * *

"I think I've just made an emotional attachment to a Pharaoh that's way older than me." Anzu said, flopping down on the bed. Tena chirped, but was concentrated on King who was snuggling up next to her. Anzu glared down at both of them and rolled her eyes. "Is there a place where romance isn't allowed?" she moaned, covering her face with her hands.

"Not that I know of."

"Hello Bastet, how are you?" Anzu asked, not at all surprised anymore about the cat goddess's surprise visits. "And who gave you permission to get into my head and influence my choices?"

Bastet looked up from the mirror she was looking into; it was a modern mirror, not the bronze mirrors that she was constantly seeing. "I was just giving you some advice." She said innocently.

"Sure."

The goddess stood up and walked over to sit next to Anzu. "If it is bothering you so much then why not leave or tell Pharaoh Atem that you cannot do it?"

"Because I don't like the idea of saying no, then run away from it all when he just might come after me and chain me up for even attempting to escape." She said. "He's still Pharaoh."

Bastet purred, just like a cat, as she tapped her fingers on the vanity before her. "A logical point, my friend, but what I do not get is why did you do it."

"Do what?"

"Challenge him. There is a reason Atem received his title, and it was not because he was Pharaoh and decided he would also go by that, but because he defeated a god in a game."

Anzu looked over at Bastet in shock. "He what?"

"For privacy, I will not give the name, but Atem was good at games, even as a young boy, so before he was crowned a god in disguise came down and challenged him. The god explained that if Atem won, he would gain the title, King of Games."

"Long story short," Anzu said. "Atem beat the mystery god, gained the title, and sent the god back home crying to his or her mommy, right?"

"Correct." The goddess paused before glaring at the human young woman. "And the god did not go crying for mommy."

"Stop it Bastet, you're making it sound like _you_ were the mystery god. I would stop now." Bastet huffed loudly while Tena and King chirped in laughter at their goddess. "So . . . is it . . . bad?"

"Is what bad?"

"My emotional attachment to Atem? Good or bad?"

"It will be as you see it. If you see the attachment a good thing then it will be a good thing, but if you see it as a bad thing then it will be a bad thing."

"Nice, thanks for your goddess insight." Anzu moaned and stuffed one of the pillows in her face. What was she going to do? Every day she was getting closer and closer to Atem who was constantly pulling at her heart strings. It was getting harder to deny him of simple things, like teaching him some of the English language.

How was she going to return to the future unhurt? "Better to love someone who won't be around long then to never experience love at all." Bastet said softly. A statement she had heard Linda say some time ago when she was young. Anzu sat up and scratched Tena's ear.

"Have you experienced it, Bastet?" she asked softly.

"I?" the goddess paused. "Yes, I have once though it was a rather one-sided love, but I did feel it."

"What was it like?"

"Painful, confusing, lovely . . . it was so many feelings, all at once. It is something that cannot be described, only experienced."

Anzu remained silent for a moment before she decided on something. "Bastet, I want to be able to listen in on what this lady says, and for that I need to be able to know her language. If Atem doesn't want her than I'll make sure of that."

Bastet gave her cat sly smile. "That, I can do."

* * *

In the Mediterranean a medium sized boat road the waves, getting closer to its destination. The sails strained to contain the winds, pushing the boat onward with a speed that made the boat almost fly. On deck were many women and men, all with one duty to make sure their vessel ran correctly without any problems.

One woman stood in front, her wild black hair decorated in colorful clay and glass beads. She wore little; the only cloth on her was to simply cover _specific_ areas. She was strong, that much could be seen just by looking at her lithe figure. In her hands she held a spear with a point that could probably rip through anything.

She could almost feel the harsh hot winds of the dry land that would soon appear before her. How strange it had been, seeing the dry land for the first time compared to her lush, humid forest. She had thought that her land was untamable, but to see such a dry place, it made her wonder how many people walked into the desert and never came back.

"My Lady Adaeze, we draw near to the dry land." A young woman said, bowing her head slightly as protocol demanded. She was wearing much the same as what Adaeze was wearing.

The woman nodded. "Thank you." She said softly. The young woman left, a spark of hate within her eyes. Just yesterday she had witnesses the tribe leader throw her brother overboard when he accidentally forgot to grab the grapes for her. Her brother was a fisherman, so he knew how to swim, but the green sea creatures took him, sending him to rest where he once told her that his soul truly belonged.

She came from the same tribe, but there was a difference when it came to living on the sea and living on the land among her tribe. Men and women were equals when it came to the sea, for one needed everybody when it came to dealing with such a force.

"You do not leave, sister?" The leader said, making the entire boat freeze.

An angry sneer formed on her face. "You have broken the law of the boat."

"And what have I done?"

"You live upon the land where men are nothing, but here on this ship we need women _and_ men, you have put us one short, you owe us a man." The young woman growled. "These are the rules that have always been so, by breaking them; it shows how much you respect our service." With that she walked away, her family, those who were always present on the boat, walked with her, stiff with anger.

"I meant no disrespect, little sister."

"So you say, but to throw my brother overboard because he forgot your beloved grapes, pathetic!" she spat. "You may be the leader of this tribe, but you are not the leader of this boat."

Adaeze turned to the young woman with burning eyes, her hate clear cut and right there for all to see. "A man should not be told twice."

"On your land that may be so, but the laws of the sea are different and because of you, we are short of one man who knows the Green Lady." One man said, he was strong, nothing like the men who Adaeze saw everyday in her village. During a storm she had once seen him face it unflinchingly, but now Adaeze could see that men from the ocean and men from the land were very different.

"Then I will give you a young boy, someone you can mold and teach." She said, knowing it would make peace with the rest but not the young woman, Talise. After all, even Adaeze would be angered by the woman who threw her brother into the water, killing him.

'_Already I face problems . . . and one I created myself._' She thought. Was it a sign perhaps? A sign to not create problems with . . . Atem.

Adaeze sighed. The one man who beat her in a sword duel, the one man who played games with her and lived, the man her heart wanted to claim as her own. But that was impossible, he was king and would not give up his power so easily. What was more, he would not be open to any flirtation of any kind, not when his Queen had just passed in childbirth . . . along with the child.

Death was an ever present member at the table that one ate at, so when a child died, the mother and father could grieve, but there was always another chance. So when Adaeze heard that Tey had passed on along with the child it was . . . crushing. It was how Adaeze had lost her mother . . . and brother.

But she would try, after all, she did not become leader by just waiting, she took what she needed, what she wanted. '_My ships are the fastest out of all the powers, I will be there first._' She thought, a small smile playing upon her lips.

* * *

Anzu was doing something she hadn't done in a long time, and that was deciding on what to wear. As Atem had explained after Bastet had left after bestowing the knowledge of Adaeze's language, as Pharaoh's 'mistress' she had to look the part, and that meant she had to deck herself out.

It would have been a problem for her considering Anzu had never seen an Egyptian mistress before, with the exception of those in the movies. By the time her girls were done with Anzu's hair alone, she felt as though she had on one ton of gold and silver placed on her head. Thankfully there was no crown. _'Suddenly I feel very sorry for the person who will be queen._'

Next came the rest of her body. A long flowing dress, curtsy of her persuasiveness, so no dealing with the traditional dress. Then came more jewelry. Holy crap, how much gold did she have to put on?!

Finally, the makeup. Due to her days of being in the sun, she did get that healthy little glow, but she was still pale compared to the natives, so she didn't need that bright flashy makeup, just enough to make her eyes pop, but that was it.

When Anzu took a look in the bronze mirror she was met with a very pretty . . . woman. It made Anzu pause and look a little harder into the mirror before her. Was this really her? "Beautiful."

Anzu spun around to see Atem leaning against the frame of the door, his eyes only on her. Blushing, she turned away. "It's not really me, I mean . . . you know me, I don't . . . dress up to this extent."

Atem chuckled. "I know how you dress, but I do like it when you dress up. Often times you act masculine, but this brings out a very feminine side of you."

She turned to him, one brow up. "Is that an insult or a complement?"

Atem smiled and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "A complement, dear Anzu, not an insult."

"What? Couldn't hear you? Did you say insult?" she gasped and slapped her hand over her chest. "How horrible!" She attempted to run away, key word here was 'attempted', but was stopped by his long arms as he caught her waist and twirled her around.

Anzu felt the world pause for a moment before she realized that her nose was touching his. Blushing brightly, she blinked, unconsciously fluttering her eyelashes, sort of. "Complement, Anzu, complement." He said softly.

"D-do you do this to every girl you meet?" she asked.

Atem smirked at her saucily. "To every one I want in my bed," he paused to lean in and whisper in her ear. "Naked and willing."

She squealed and smacked his chest. "Didn't you have a wife?!"

Atem gave her that puppy pout. "I did, but Tey didn't like to have fun."

"Define fun."

He hummed a little before shrugging. "Secret whispers in corners, dirty little promises, new positions, our marriage was very . . . unspicy." Anzu rolled her eyes before giggling a bit.

"Unspicy? Wow, just what exactly do you need to make something spicy?"

Atem shrugged. "I do not know, how do you make things spicy back at your homeland?"

Ooooh . . . such an interesting question . . . now how to answer him? "Umm, whips?"

Atem's brows went up. "Whips? Now why would you want to lash at someone who is having sex with you?"

Good gods, she was actually having this conversation with him?

"Not to hurt, just like, a quick sting sort of, it doesn't hurt but just enough to mix pain with pleasure."

He was looking at her oddly but she could tell he was trying very hard not to laugh. "What else?"

"Umm, ropes, being tied down to the bed, lots of pillows."

"Pillows?"

"It lifts the female partner up some so the male counterpart can get in . . . deeper."

His eyes were lighting up brightly. "Well, that sounds fun. Continue." Pharaoh speaking, not Atem. Anzu bit her lip and reprimanded herself for actually getting herself in this sort of situation.

"Teasing by covering up certain . . . areas. Naughty messages, letting loose, quickies-"

"Quickies?"

"Just a random burst of wanting sex." She said quickly. "I heard that the mermaid position was a pretty hot one. Cosmo Cat is a position for hot weather, Bed Spread is another." She stopped when she noticed how he was watching her. "Uh . . ."

He walked over to her, his eyes burning. "I think I would like to live in your homeland." And she was pretty sure the female population, with the exception of the lesbians who pretty much straight lesbians, would really like him living in her time too. "Will you do those things with me?"

She blinked. "Excuse me?"

He smiled. "I'll get you eventually."

Anzu glared. "The hell you will." She growled. He only smirked and sauntered out of the room leaving her very . . . hot. "Gods dammit, how the crap does he do that?" she muttered and walked out of the room and ran right into her sisters who were staring at her like there was no tomorrow. "Yes?"

"Nice outfit." Mana said.

"I have to play mistress to keep a crazy lady away from Atem. I'm not his real mistress." She rolled her eyes.

Mana and Kisara eyed her until finally Anzu took a huge guess. "Which one?" she growled.

Kisara pointed at Mana, who whistled but stopped and glared at her sister. "Thanks for keeping that a secret." She muttered.

"You were the one who spied, not me."

"Mana, do I seriously have to go to Mahado and tell him you were in places you shouldn't be?"

"Yeah right, I'll just explain to him." She said, giving her a smug look.

"Right, allow me to rephrase it. Mahado, did you know that Mana has been interrupting Pharaoh Atem's privacy? You may be a special student but that doesn't mean you get to intrude."

Mana's jaw dropped when she found there was no comeback for that. Mahado would get mad at her for that and probably place a few little spells on the vases that wouldn't allow her to transport to the said vase. "Why do you have to ruin my fun?"

"Why do you have to stick your nose where it doesn't belong?" Anzu snapped back, her blue eyes flashing in anger.

"I didn't know!"

"Bull! You saw and then you could have transported to another vase!" she snarled. Mana kept her mouth shut, knowing that much was true. Anzu glared at both of them. "How about you two mind your business as to what I do with Atem and I'll mind my business with your crushes, since that's what I have been doing." She spat and spun around and walked away.

Kisara sighed. "Nice going, Mana."

"How is my fault?!"

"Mana, seriously, she is right, you could have transported away, you didn't have to stay and listen and watch _everything_." Mana blew a raspberry and marched off, probably to her classroom. Kisara sighed and decided to go out into the garden to get some peace and quiet. It had been some time since she could be by herself. Besides, she had to think a few things over about Seto.

She slipped through the halls silently, though the few servants she passed still looked at her in awe. Once she had overheard a servant saying that she must have been blessed by a moon goddess. Kisara couldn't remember the name they spoke of, but she believed that Isis was one of them. "Funny, I thought she was the goddess of motherhood and marriage."

"She is."

Kisara jumped a bit and looked over to see Bastet walking beside her. "Oh, hi."

Bastet flashed her a smile. "Isis is the goddess of many things, just as I am."

"What else do you stand for?"

"I am known as the Lady of Fire, I am responsible for dance, joy, music, healing and health. I am the Goddess of the Birthing Chamber as well as the Light Bearer, I have many titles, but I hold my cats most dear to me."

"Oh, I bet its real tiring at the end of the day." Kisara said, her eyes wide. If she had to do all that in one day she wouldn't have anything left.

Bastet smiled. "Some days it is trying, but I do love what I stand for, and I love my people. It is enough, but first and foremost, I am a protector." She paused for a moment before speaking once more. "You are going to the garden." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah, I need some time to think for myself. I don't think I've ever been alone for so long in this place."

Bastet laugh. "Yes, it can be hard to hear your thoughts here, but try doing it in my home."

"Sorry but no thanks." Kisara smiled, making the goddess laugh once more.

"I must leave, things to do." She sighed and disappeared as she was walking, like a phantom. Kisara blinked but shook it off and continued on.

When she came to the garden she couldn't help but smile at the different kind of plants. She sat near the small pond, just dipping her toes into the cool water. A bird, one she hadn't heard before raised its voice, its sweet sound making her relax even further as she thought about Seto and more importantly her feelings for him.

She was from the future, who knew when she would leave to go back home, and she loved a priest of all people. '_But what happens and I do go back home, what then?_' she thought. Most likely, she wouldn't be able to date anyone without being reminded of Seto. His comforting silence, his steady voice when he did speak and his gentle guidance. No, there would be no one like Seto in the future.

What would he say if he knew the truth? She closed her eyes, not even wanting to think about how much his denial would hurt her.

"Not to worry, I will have him as my husband soon, Father."

Kisara opened her eyes and quickly took cover behind a large bush. She peeked out just in time to see Nefret walking beside a man who looked sort of like her. "Make sure you have no competitors, daughter."

Nefret laughed nastily. "Trust me father, the mouse that Priest Seto is teaching is nothing compared to I."

"I should hope daughter." He said and both fell silent as they headed toward the palace. Kisara felt her heart drop as she realized that Nefret didn't truly love Seto. '_But then again, among the royal, there was barely any matches that were of love._' Yet . . . Seto deserved to be loved, he'd given up so much, lost so much . . . love him and then when it was time to go . . . '_No, I won't think about that right now. Right now I need to practice._' If she was going to stop Nefret and her father's plans, Kisara was going to have beat her in what Seto taught her best. '_Lots and lots of practice. Make no mistake Nefret, I will stop you.'_ Kisara stepped from the bush and glared.

"Kisara!"

She turned to see Priest Mahado walk towards her. "Hello, can I help you?" she asked.

"Do you know where Mana is? I can't seem to find her."

"The last time I saw her I think she was heading to your classroom."

"Thank you." He said and went to leave but Kisara stopped him.

"Wait!"

The priest paused in surprise. "Yes?"

"Do you know how to fight with your Ka? Like, on a personal level? I can sort of summon mine, but it's hard to keep the dragon out."

Mahado blinked before he smiled. "I do, but tell me, what is the reason for this?" Kisara bit her lip, trying to decide if she should tell him or not but a moment later she heard the magician chuckle. "No, you do not need to tell me your reason, I will help you and in return perhaps you could tell me how Mana works?" his eyes glowed softly and Kisara could not help but smile. She could see why Mana liked him.

"Sure." She laughed and followed him, hands clasped behind her back. He was kind and besides, they both sort of needed each other. One to find balance and be serious when need be and the other to bring laughter and smiles into the seriousness of Mahado.

And yet . . . they were not of this time but they could decide if they wanted to go home or stay.

'_If our . . . beloveds returned our love and we knew they loved us for sure . . . would we stay?_'

* * *

And so ends chapter 12. Next, we meet the Powers . . . well sort of considering I can't find any freaking information on any rulers around Egypt in the 18th dynasty. So prepair for several names and some serious bull-poopie. : /

Thank you guys for reading this late (really late) chapter update.

Ahem as for the Fifty Shades of Gray name change I did, (aka, Fifty Shades of Shit.) I did that because it's the truth. *rolls eyes* I don't need and Fifty lovers attacking me over my opinions so try not to be too insulted.

Anywho, thank you for reading, and I would like to welcome all my new reviews. :) Thanks for giving my story a look. :D

So, before I leave, how do you guys feel about me making this a rated M story? (I'm being serious here, so if you send in a review at least tell me if I should keep as is or if you'd like to have some yummies.) Thanks!

Thank yous and have a nice day or night everyone!


	13. Plots to Kill

I'm allliiiivvvve! No actually I'm sleep deprived, which really sucks by the way. This chapter is sadly much shorter than the rest of my previous chapters but hey, it's better than nothing.

So, Lady Adaeze arrives, finally along with some plotting. This chapter was a pain the in the freaking butt. (Write, don't like, delete, write, don't like, delete.) Several times I tried to start this chapter but it just felt wrong. So this time I actually wrote something I felt good about. \(^o^)/

So, please enjoy...on nooooo...falling...sleep...zzzzzzzzzzz...

Disclaimer, I own nothing.

* * *

The Fountain of Time

Chapter 13

Kisara was holding an orb of light in her hand, her cute nose scrunched up in concentration as she tried to hold the orb and keep it from turning into nothing. Mahado was a good teacher, patient and very understanding of her slight weakness when it came to magic. "It's rare to find people with raw talent like Mana and the rest of my students, which is why you would find some former peasants in my classes."

"So anyone with the ability for magic and to control it is instantly a little wealthier than before?"

He nodded. "Exactly, now, there are categories within these talents. There's Mana, who has the ability to expand on her basic magic skills and learn different kinds of magic, like weather magic, or the elementals. Then there are people who can hold one or two different magic but that's it, for example, a boy who can only do fire magic and wind magic, if he cannot perform any other magic than he is stuck with those two elements, which isn't bad all the time, and then there are those like you, Kisara."

"You make it sound as though I'm mentally challenged." She pouted, making the magician laugh.

"No, no," he laughed. "You have the magic, but you have a hard time pulling it out from within you. For all we know, you might be at Mana's level."

"But I would be in the middle though; I think light magic is the only thing that comes easy to me." She said.

Mahado hummed a bit as he stood there in thought. "How about this, since it is hard for you to hold your dragon out here in the physical world, I will give you a practice that is easy to start with, but it gets harder as you go along." He said and opened a book, flipped through a few pages and smiled. "This will be perfect for you, hold out your hand as though you are cupping water." He instructed.

Kisara nodded and cupped her hands and waited. "Now what?"

He simply waved his hand over her hands and when he pulled away an orb of light sat in her hands. "Now reach out and hold it."

She nodded, mentally reached out and held the orb in place. "That's it?" she asked.

He nodded. "That is it. Hold it for as long as you can and once you can hold that orb for a day at least, it will get bigger in size until it will be about the size of your dragon."

She made a face. "That'll take forever." She muttered.

Mahado chuckled softly. "You just think that, but trust me, it gets easier over time." So far, she had been holding it, sort of her thing to do until those called the 'Powers' arrived. But it was getting a lot harder to do. She knew Seto could hold his Ka out for days. The door opened and in came Mahado. "Ah, you are doing very well; most would have given up after two hours. The fact that you've been holding it for this long means you have plenty of control, you just need the tools to show you how to control."

Kisara sighed and let the orb go, feeling very tired. "I have to be able to hold it for more than one day." She said, slightly disappointed with herself. Mahado blinked and tipped his head to the side before he sat down next to her.

"Why?" he asked.

Kisara thought for a moment before she just let it out. "It's about Nefret." She said.

"What about her?"

Kisara's hands clenched. "It's stupid, one might think I'm just extremely jealous, but she wants to marry him, probably to get family in line for the throne or something." She said. "But Seto . . . he's been through so much, he deserves to be loved, not used."

Mahado blinked before he smiled. "It is very refreshing to hear someone else think like that." He said softly. "Sadly that is the reality of this society . . . you care for Seto?"

Kisara sighed. "I do, but I think it's a bit further than that."

"Ah, so you love him then?" He asked but she didn't have to say anything, it was her blush that spoke the truth. "Well, I am no professional when it comes to the matters of love, but I would just tell him, leave no chance for him to doubt you." He said. "Now I can no longer keep you here as it is Seto's time with you." He said and left, leaving Kisara nervous and yet . . .

He was right. '_Just get it over with._' She said to herself and stood up and raced to the room where Seto taught her. When she came to the door Kisara slowly opened to see that her teacher was indeed in the room with a very frustrated Nefret. "…Are you saying that you do not want a union with me?" Kisara help her breath in shock. "I am I not good enough?" the young woman paused before a sneer formed on her beautiful face. "Is it because I am not pale like a certain mouse? Is it because I am not all that exotic looking?" she demanded to know, her eyes narrowing to slits of rage.

Kisara wanted to run in, to push the woman away but this wasn't her battle. "Enough, Nefret." Seto said, his tone oddly calm and more terrifying than yelling any day. Oddly enough, Nefret didn't see she was pushing it. "The only time I plan to marry is if I can find someone to love."

Nefret laughed, as though he had said something funny. "Love? What a silly notion." She continued to laugh. Kisara's heart broke but her gut told her not to interfere.

"Enough." Seto said softly, yet it his tone was so cold it could freeze one on the spot right there and then. "Leave Nefret, do not return today or tomorrow."

Kisara escaped the moment she heard a soft sob and quickly rushed around the corner to hide just as the young woman came running out, she sounded as though she were crying, but her eyes were dry. To give the illusion that she wasn't eavesdropping, Kisara moved around the corner and looked surprised. "Is something wrong Nefret?"

The noble paused for a moment before she shook her head quickly and rushed away. Kisara watched her until Nefret went around the corner and was gone before she entered the room where Seto stood alone and looking very tired. "Seto?" she asked softly. He jumped and turned to look over at her.

"Kisara . . ."

"Are you . . . okay?"

"I . . . I am fine." He sighed. "So I hear you have gone to Mahado to help hold your Ka in the physical world."

She nodded. "I figured having some slight control over some of my magic might help me along. You don't mind, do you?" she asked.

He smiled and shook his head. "No, I do not mind at all. In fact, it is a good thing for you. It will help you in many ways." He explained. Kisara smiled.

"Then I'm glad I didn't insult you." She said.

Seto smirked slightly. "So, are you ready for your lesson today?" he asked. She nodded determined. "Good, today you will summon your dragon and you will learn how to speak to it, not through the mouth, but through your thoughts." He explained.

* * *

Mana stood on top of the pillars that started some ways from the entrance gate all the way to the palace double doors. It was basically a walkway of sorts with the exception that it wasn't on the ground. She had been bored all day since Mahado had been teaching his students and it was an off day for the advanced students.

There was nothing to do except practice or do something else and at the moment nothing else was as interesting as waiting for Lady Adaeze, the first of the Powers to arrive. Or whenever the hell she would arrive. Mana groaned and spun her staff around out of sheer boredom. She could use this time to do more practice, to perfect some spells she had been working on, but she'd been doing that for two hours, or so she thought, so it was totally out of the question to put more practice time in.

What she wouldn't give to have her beloved violin with her right her at this moment. She didn't look it because one would think she had too much energy for such an interment but no one knew her violin like she did. Her talent had started with the amazing Lindsey Stirling. Her mother had bought tickets for her to go see the young woman and with it her dream had been born to play just as good as Lindsey.

Mana sighed as her fingers itched to pull the bow across the string, to tilt her head to the side and just play out her emotions. Most would find it horrible, with the stiff neck and all but Mana had never run into such a problem. With her, she and the violin were one being, one entity with the ability to play out all the emotions. '_I wonder what love would sound like._" She wondered.

She smiled at the thought. It would probably be a sweet yet chaotic sound full of ups and downs. The melody pure and untainted with something mysterious in it . . . she laughed to herself. "I sound like a love-sick fool." She giggled to herself as she started to twirl around a bit but her twirl was interrupted by a guard yelling. Mana paused and turned to see the gate opening.

So Lady Adaeze arrived! Mana rushed up to get a peek at the woman that Atem did not wish to love. The doors opened and in came a large group of women, their skin was much darker than the Egyptians, but their hair had been decorated with colorful beads and gold bracelets jingled. They moved about with careful steps, as though they were waiting for someone to attack them. Mana grinned. "Most likely, that'll be my sis." She giggled and stood up, but that brought attention to herself. One woman looked up and slipped over to whisper something to another.

This woman had to be the Adaeze lady, she was slightly taller, she wore much finer clothes despite wearing little of it, and she was also covered in colorful paint. Lady Adaeze looked up, locking eyes with Mana before glaring at her.

Mana laughed out loud, how could she not? This woman had attempted to intimidate her, yeah right, only Kisara and Anzu could do that. She spun around, now feeling the entire group of women, and the little bit of men she had spotted, watched her leave.

* * *

Adaeze watched the child leave, feeling utterly insulted. Yes, she had tried to intimidate the girl, but only because she had been standing and watching from an advantage point. That was not something that made her feel safe but to see the girl simply laugh, as though her intimidation had not worked at all. "My Lady?"

"Do not worry about it for right now." She said simply.

They continued on; no sigh of the girl any more. It made her relax somewhat since she knew that the only people who could watch from above were those on the balconies and the goddesses from the skies. Upon entering the palace she was once again filled with the smell of fine oils and creams, young and healthy servants slipping through the halls holding jars, blankets, and even platters of food.

Guards stood nearly at every corner, their shoulders straight, face unreadable, and their eyes never stayed still as they watched for any signs of danger. It made her slightly envious, since she had tried and failed to get anything on their training standards here, but like the wealthy guarded their money, the military guarded their training just as much.

What was more was she could see some of her men from her tribe stand among the Egyptian guards, strong and statue-like. Traitors. When she walked into the throne room she stopped. Pharaoh Atem sat there talking to three girls, one was the girl she had seen earlier, and another was shockingly pale. Her hair white was almost like her skin. Instead of gold she wore silver, matching her complexion. The other girl was sitting on the arm of the throne, talking. She was covered in gold and clothed in white.

She was the first to notice the group. Blue eyes, a rare color, looked to her, they narrowed somewhat before she leaned down to whisper something into Pharaoh Atem's ear. He looked up, spotted her and stood up. "Lady Adaeze, welcome back to Egypt." He said.

Adaeze bowed. "Thank you, At-"

"Pharaoh." He said softly, sharply.

Adaeze blinked before she bowed her head slightly. "Thank you, Pharaoh Atem." This was a change, usually he would let her just say his name. So what had changed? Adaeze heard a small bit of laughter and looked towards to throne to see the three girls laughing, while the one who sat on the arm of the throne smirked at her.

Adaeze felt a cold chill travel down her spine as anger boiled in her heart. "Who are these girls?" she asked, sounding more calm then she felt.

Atem smiled. "The little one is Mana, a student of my priest, Mahado and one of his advanced students." The girl she had seen earlier only smiled. "Her sisters are Kisara, the pale one, and Anzu, my Mistress."

Adaeze had to prevent herself from screaming out in rage. The girl named Anzu transformed her smirk to an innocent smile. "It is an honor to finally meet you, Lady Adaeze." She said, standing up and walking to stand next to Atem, as though she belonged at his side. She looked to Atem and smiled. "Atem has told me many things about you and your people. I am impressed, most would put women on a scale to nothing but you on the other hand treat them preciously. It is a nice change to hear." She said.

So the Mistress could be informal with him. Adaeze smiled tightly. "Thank you."

Anzu's smile became brightly before she blinked. "Oh! You must be exhausted from your travels!" she said and clapped her hands. A group of servant girls came up, all smiles. "Girls, please escort Lady Adaeze and her sisters to their joined rooms so that they may freshen up and rest, please?"

The girls bowed as one turned to face the warrior women. "This way." She said. Adaeze followed the girl, looking forward as her heart beat furiously. His wife had just recently died and already he was replacing her! '_But he has to, he needs an heir._' Her mind whispered softly. It was only right that he gain a Mistress to hopefully get someone to give birth to the heir he needed.

"These are your rooms." The young servant said. Adaeze looked up to see that she was in a massive room connected to others. A room just for her and her sisters.

"Thank you, little one." She said. The girl bowed and quickly left, but not before she glared right at Adaeze. One of the girls went after her while the other quickly explained.

"Please forgive Merit!" the girl said quickly, almost frightened. "She has . . . heard many things about you."

Adaeze blinked. "And what has she heard?"

The girl looked down. "How you killed a woman because she was with the man who you wanted, but the man, now free, would not look at any other woman and he soon fell ill and died. She serves the Pharaoh and his Mistress; she is fiercely loyal to them and was one of many of the servants to refuse to serve you, she could not escape when her Lady did ask to serve you though."

Adaeze bit her lip. It was a true story, sadly enough. In a jealous rage she had killed the woman who was bound to the man she had wanted and it was also true that he refused to look at any other woman and soon fell ill because he could simply not live without the one he loved. It had not been an action she had been proud of. "So what does my past have to do with the Pharaoh?"

"My Lady, it is well known of your feelings toward the Pharaoh, Merit fears that you will kill Mistress Anzu for Pharaoh Atem and he will befall the same fate."

Adaeze felt as though someone had stabbed her with those words. Indeed, the same thing could play out once more and she could become jealous. The fact that many of the servants here did not want to serve her over just because of that story was a testament of the hate towards her here at times. The girl left, she did not look back.

"They fear me because I could hurt their King and bring him to his knees." She said. "But I will not be denied of what I want, but this time I will be more careful, I will make it look like an assassination." She said softly, grinning. She turned and picked out two of her best knife wielders. "You two are in charge of making sure that Pharaoh's Mistress is dead."

They bowed their heads. "Yes, my Lady."

* * *

My sleep deprived brain makes up some strange and horribly interesting plots doesn't it? Eh, what do I know? So, thank you for reading, sorry it was so short. (I just didn't know what to add after the last sentence...)

Since I am rather sleep deprived, could anyone, if they see any mistakes, (spelling, grammer, ect.) point them out so I may fix them? Thank you.

Thanks for reading again, have a nice day or night! (goes back to sleep...)


	14. The Future of Endless Possibilities

Hi! I need to give out a HUGE thanks to the reviews. You all left me blubbering like a baby. I did NOT expect the reviews to come that fast. Thank you all! T.T

**LovelyAngelYuuki**-I'm working on that for one of the upcoming chapters. ;) So I do promise the Mana will be playing her violin for the people soon.

**forgotenpenname**-Bakura is dead and as for new characters in the future, we shall see.

Now, I hope you guys realize that this story isn't even close to being over soon. This is just the beginning. Trust me on this. We have several villians to go through and some interesting twists to get to. I don't know who will be hating first but someone at some point will be willing to kill. (Of course even then that wouldn't give you the anwers you all would want.)

So...ONWARD!

Disclaimer, I own nothing!

* * *

The Fountain of Time

Chapter 14

Anzu giggled the whole time, in her head and physically at Lady Adaeze's face and reaction. It was like she expected him to be crying, waiting for her to open her arms and tell him that all was going to be all right and that she would be there for him. Yeah right. If she knew Atem, then she had to have known that he wouldn't be alone, not around her of all women. Oh gods and when she went up to 'play nice' with her it was absolutely priceless! This woman expected him to actually eat out of her hand as though she were the powerful one.

From what Atem had told her, the only thing that her tribe provided was exotic animals and clothes, that was it, nothing that gave her power, nothing that gave her a leg up in the power scale unlike the other Power members. Lady Adaeze had come for the ride to see others, to get a feel and find someone who could be her consort and so far the one man she wanted was the only man who said no to her, Atem.

She walked to the balcony, the place of her second kiss. Smiling, she twirled around a bit but paused upon hearing two voices, one belonging to Atem, the other belonged to someone familiar, but she couldn't think of where she had heard it before. Anzu peeked in to see Atem talking with a man she had seen at the family dinner.

"Nekure, believe me when I say this that I do not want to do this to Maut, but she has pushed it too far. Just because Mana is getting close to Mahado does not give your daughter the right to threaten her life."

Nekure sighed and started to pace. "Believe me, Cousin, I agree with you but at least leave her some magic."

"If I do then we stand the chance that she will regain her power and come at us with revenge. Nekure, she wants to marry my priest but it seems you both have forgotten that it is I who decides who my priests will marry."

"I thought you gave them free will!"

"I do, but only when I know that he or she is trusted. Maut has become spoiled; your mother and I have both warned you of such things."

Nekure sighed. "I am sorry, Cousin. I give you permission."

"I do this for her safety too, Nekure. Should Anzu, my mistress, find out that her sister has been hurt in any way shape or form she will do what Maut has done to Mana, and that is something I do not want to know."

Nekure nodded. "Thank you for talking to me about it." He said softly.

"You are her father, you are responsible for her, I am simply giving you a warning should your daughter push too hard."

Nekure bowed his head and left. Atem's shoulders sagged and from the side she could see his balance wobble slightly. She walked up to him and grabbed his hand, startling him. "I'm sorry, that was hard for you." She said softly.

Atem shook his head. "Though it was, I had to. Maut is starting to get bolder with each passing day and Mahado is starting to get annoyed with her. She will not do any work, practice or listening wise. The only thing she will do is retain information that will help Mahado see her in a supposedly better light."

Anzu shrugged. "I sort of pity her. I think that it's a little bit of both, she loves Mahado but she also wants him for his position of power. I think she just might be confused about it all. The girl wants the life of luxury yet I can see she also wants to love him."

Atem sighed and turned to her to wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her hips until she was attached to his, basically. She blushed but paused when she felt his body fall slack against hers. "Hey, you tired?" she asked worriedly.

He nodded. "Too tired for my own good, tonight and tomorrow I will not get up, even for the Powers."

Anzu nodded and led him to their shared room before helping him actually get to the bed. When he hit the sheets, Atem moaned and snuggled the pillow. Anzu paused in thought before screwing with the endless possibilities and crawled into bed next to him. He blinked in shock as she settled right next to him. "Hi."

"Uh, hi." He said, still a bit shocked. She smiled.

"With Crazy here we might as well sleep close, we don't want her to think different." She said softly. "Besides, I know you want to."

He blushed before glaring at her slightly, though there was no heat in it. "I thought we decided that there would be no intimacy."

Anzu snuggled closer until she was using his pillow. "We did, but you have to think about something, what if someone decides to sneak in and see if we're true?"

Atem blinked. "You mean to see if you are truly mistress?"

"Exactly, it'll look odd if I'm on the other side of the bed." She said as she snuggled until her body was pressed against his. Atem felt his breath leave his body as her curves pressed against him.

'_Oh Ra help me._' He prayed before wrapping his arms around her. "You're sure?" he asked. Before she could answer King and Tena appeared and both slumped onto the bed on each side of Atem and Anzu.

She grinned. "I don't think we have a choice." She said.

Atem smiled and rested his head onto the pillow as Anzu tucked herself under his chin. They both sighed as they felt strangely . . . complete. Anzu felt safe, something she hadn't felt since she was a kid in her mother's arms and just like that, she was off to sleep.

~o~

"Hello Anzu."

Her eyes snapped open as she sat up, no longer in Atem's arms . . . dreaming. She looked over to see Bastet petting another big cat, a black panther. Its sleek body was curled around her while the tail twitched about. "Hi, is there something you needed to talk to me about?"

"Yes, it's about your future."

Anzu froze as the goddess stood up and held her hand out. "Why . . . why come to me about this?" she asked softly.

"Because . . . you are a friend, one of the few mortal friends I have ever had that has always been true to me. You treat me as you treat the Pharaoh, nothing grand, but an important friend. It is time for me to act like a friend and show you at least one of the paths that could lead you to your future."

Anzu swallowed, nervous now more than ever as she stood up and took the goddesses hand. Bastet led her to another room, this one filled with thousands of strings. "What is this?" she asked.

"The future, thousands, millions of possibilities that will lead to the end of one of these strings by simple actions and words."

Anzu paled. "Are you saying that this is all mine?!"

"No." the goddess chuckled and waved her hand so that all the other wiggling strings disappeared to leave only six Bastet pulled one over. "In this future, you are torn from Pharaoh Atem, both of you very much in love. You do not come back as you came. You will instead appear in his tomb. You will wander until you find his spirit and due to the lack of oxygen, you die."

Anzu gulped as the images appeared around her. Her body still and cold looking while her spirit was heading towards another before both disappeared. "Wow . . . that's uh, not really cool."

Bastet shook her head. "You say that but you haven't experienced the feelings of this string, and you never will." She said as she pulled away and it was gone.

"What happened?"

"That future expired, that future was one where you both did not touch each other."

"Oh . . . no sex?"

"No." she said as she pulled another string that looked old. "This one is gone as well. It is one where you said no to the Mistress offer, where you were simply his friend." She explained as the string crumbled into dust, leaving two possible futures. Anzu was still thinking on her last comment.

"Wait, I'm going to have sex?" she asked in shock.

"There is no other string left that leaves you pure still." Bastet said.

Holy shit; at some point she was going to have sex . . . with Atem. "At least I'll regret nothing." She muttered before noticing something different about two of the strings. One was silver, another was gold, both standing out from the plain black strings. The silver string was slightly short, though it shimmered. "Why is silver short and the gold longer?"

"I do not know," the goddess said. "Perhaps it is your time here in the past or perhaps it is your time being alive. Only the Fates know."

"I thought they were Greek." Anzu said.

"Please, they've been around way longer than those people." Bastet snorted. "Now, one more thing." She said and turned away from the two strings. Anzu followed as they slipped through a door only to find that they were now in a museum.

"Why are we here?" she asked.

"Because, should you stay, Kisara will become a healer and due to her knowledge of the future, Egyptian's medicine will be very advanced." Anzu watched as statues of her pale sister appeared, though it was in shocking detail. "Your art, your ability to capture the world and put it on papyrus with such detail that you will change art." Anzu watched as the stone pictures became more detailed and much like her own drawings, even the statues were starting to look a little like the Roman and Greek statues. "And your sister, with her magic, will propel Egypt to grow even larger than what it is today."

They came up to a large table to see an Egyptian palace . . . no, a nation. "We . . . we did this? Our choices, actions, knowledge even?" she whispered in shock.

"Yes." Bastet said as the museum fell away to reveal a world she barely recognized.

"Oh my gods, cars are flying." She said softly. The skyscrapers were even bigger; it was like one of those cities in a sci-fi movie. Ships were even flying about! What about . . . "The Earth . . ." she said.

"Much cleaner than what it is like in your future." Bastet explained as they now stood in a forest. "This is the Rainforest, the one that was being cut down extensively in your time. Due to your actions, this forest was saved and the animals that were endangered, saved."

"People co-existing with nature." She said softly. "All of this is because we stay in Egypt?"

"Yes, and most importantly," the goddess waved her hand and once again the surrounding changed. "This is Egypt, it is still ruled by a man with the title of Pharaoh, it had been modernized but many of the temples and palaces that survived time are persevered and even being rebuilt." Anzu didn't how she felt about this.

"Did the events in the west still happen?"

"Yes, America came to be the same as it did before you left for the past, though many survived thanks to the advanced medicine."

Anzu fell to her knees; her hands shook in shock as she spotted three statues. Each one of her sisters standing with their priests holding the items that they stood for and then there she stood with Atem, her stone self looking like a queen. She had a sword in one hand, using it like a cane while in her other hand was a black stone that glittered while Atem's stone self was looking out into the distance looking very much like the king he is or . . . was. "What do I stand for in this future?" she asked.

Bastet walked up to the statue and placed her hand on it. "In this future it was written down that you discovered something beyond the skies, something called space and beyond space, the universe. The black stone stands for the universe. Space travel, like you see in movies, in possible here. They have found another Earth and they apply your ancient words of wisdom which were written down years and years ago."

"So this is . . . this is the future my sisters and I will make?" she asked again, not believing what she was seeing or hearing.

Bastet nodded. "Your husbands have a part in this too." She said. "Pharaoh Atem's tactics and wisdom in ruling is used every day here. Mahado was a man of magic, he, like his wife should Mana stay, will become known as the Priest and Priestess of Magic. Priest Seto will be known as a great war general, his wife, should Kisara stay as well, will be known as the Priestess of Healing."

Anzu shivered. "So this future . . . magic is real, a Ka is still used?"

"Yes, the human spirit or the true form of one's soul is still used. You and your sisters will gain a type of immortality, you will become the mothers of this future world but this only happens if you stay."

"And if I don't want to, if I go back?"

"Then you return, your heart intact or broken. Atem will still retain the information you taught him, but it won't propel your time into the future I have shown you. That is your future." Bastet said softly.

~o~

Anzu opened her eyes. It was dark; she could feel Tena pressed against her while she held Atem tightly. '_That is your future._' She closed her eyes as she thought about the images she'd seen. The future that she and her sisters along with their future husbands could make if they stayed. '_It's going to take a lot more than just a pretty cool future to get me to stay._' She thought.

Her eyes flickered to Atem's sleeping face. What choices did she have to make for him to become her husband and a King that would forever be remembered? '_That doesn't matter._' She thought. '_I'll go on as though I've never seen 'the future' and what happens will happen._'

She was about to go back to sleep when she heard the door open. Her eyes widened in shock as she slowly peeked over Atem to see a shadow slip into the room. Anzu poked at Tena and then slipped her arm under Atem which was a bit hard and poked at King. The cats responded by waking up but instincts told them not to go back to sleep, that there was someone else in the room, very much unwelcome.

Atem moaned and opened his eyes. Anzu quickly covered his mouth and shook her head. Now he looked completely awake as his eyes started to flicker around.

King slipped through the darkness easily, his gold eyes flashing angrily as he followed the stranger who dared come near the pair he had sworn to protect when they bought him and took him away from that terrible ship. He sensed Tena on the other side of the room. The target froze, as though realizing that she or he was in trouble.

Tena snarled as she threw herself on the intruder, putting all her weight as King came to stand next to her. Atem heard the struggle and immediately stood up from the bed. "Whoa, wait, sto-" Anzu was cut short when they both heard something tear. Atem created a little ball of light with his magic to reveal a half naked Anzu.

He blushed brightly and was about to apologize and look away but she shook her head and looked toward the floor. Atem turned to see King and Tena holding down a woman who was clearly not Egyptian. "And here I thought we would get a good night's sleep." He growled.

Anzu was showing a lot more balls then she had. Normally she would be screaming her head off, no one had seen her naked with the exception of her doctors and mother. '_Time to grow up._' She thought. "Atem, I think it would be a great time to call the guards." She said.

He nodded and left the room, leaving her alone with the woman. Good time to start questions. "Who are you?" she asked as she pulled the sheets to cover her chest.

Surprisingly enough, the woman answered. "Talise."

"Who sent you?"

"No one but myself, I thought perhaps I could talk to you but as you can see, it backfired."

Anzu paused for a moment before she waved her hands at the cheetahs. "Let her up you two." Tena and King moved toward the bed, their hair standing on end as they growled at the intruder. "Why?"

Talise paused before speaking. "Lady Adaeze has gotten out of hand. She has forgotten our laws and other's laws. She believes to be above them, I am here to ask for help. To get rid of her."

Was she in a movie? "You would kill her?"

"She is killing our people with her actions, she has become unbalanced as far as I can see, all I ask is that you help me."

Anzu thought about it but she would need one more person before she agreed with anything. The door opened and Atem marched in with two guards. Anzu grabbed the sheet she'd been using and pulled it around her so no one had the chance to see a little something. "Wait, guards, you are dismissed, it was a misunderstanding." She said quickly. Atem gave her a startled look before he thanked the guards before sending them away.

"What is the meaning of this?" he asked.

"Listen to her." Anzu said.

Talise told the Pharaoh everything that was wrong with her leader, how her eyes were beginning to cloud with power. Atem listened in cold silence until she was finished. "Why do you want to go against her?"

"Because, she is starting to kill unnecessarily. It doesn't matter what men do, they cannot please her, and by far she is breaking another law by trying to make you her consort. I simply wish to give my people the stability they deserve."

"What would I get in return for this? Sure, I no longer have to be chased by her, but what do I profit in her death?"

"Her gold. Lady Adaeze has gathered enough treasure to rival that of yours, Pharaoh. I will give you most of it while I use the part that I keep to rebuild my people." Talise said. "Do we have a deal?"

Atem looked to Anzu who nodded. Bastet would have told her if it was a lie. He sighed. "Fine, I will help, but please, go to bed." He muttered. Talise bowed.

"Thank you!" she whispered and quickly left.

Atem turned to her. "Why do you trust her?"

"Because, it's not hard to believe that Adaeze has become unstable. If we can somehow get rid of her then we no longer have to deal with her. Not to mention I knew she wasn't trying to kill us, she had no weapon, nothing to kill us with."

Atem nodded. "True." He said getting back into bed and then giving her a slow kiss. She moaned and pressed herself against his chest, now feeling a little too warm. "You have a very nice chest, my dear." He smirked.

Her hand rubbed up and down the length of his torso, making him sigh and lean back. "So is yours." She said in his ear before biting it. Atem licked his lips and pulled the sheet away so he could see her. He brushed his fingers across her smooth and creamy mounds. Anzu gasped as a heavy blush fell across her cheeks. She kissed him once more, becoming restless as she pressed herself against him until she was sitting in his lap.

"Beautiful." He said softly.

Anzu blushed, feeling somewhat dizzy. '_Lack of oxygen, totally . . . oh, who am I kidding?_' she thought. "I'm not that pretty." She said.

"And that is where you're wrong." He said before reaching for her—

"Great Pharaoh!"

Anzu squealed while Atem covered her quickly before spinning around to glare at his priests. "Really?!" he snarled. "This close and you choose now to interrupt me?!"

His priests stared in shock as Atem got out of bed to approach them, his eyes narrowed into dangerous and frustrated slits of rage. They took a few steps back before they were cornered by him. "I am fine." He growled. "Are you satisfied?" They nodded. "Now go back to bed." He snapped. They all left, practically running. Anzu giggled as he came back in, slamming the door. "What?" he muttered.

"Oh nothing." She said.

"Keep up with that attitude and I'll continue where I left off, I won't be gentle." He said. Anzu hid under the sheets as he joined her. She squeaked again when she was pulled in, her back pressed against his chest. "Sleep."

She smiled, the future forgotten for the moment as she slept with the knowledge that she was loved. '_And here I thought love didn't exist. How wrong I was._' She thought.

* * *

Talise sat in her room with some of her ship members sitting, some standing, with her. "So they will help?" one asked.

"Yes, I got a promise from both Pharaoh and the Mistress. I have faith that they will make sure that Lady Adaeze does not return home alive after this."

"We could get caught." One man said.

"Then we must be ready to sacrifice ourselves so that Lady Adaeze cannot succeed. She is not above our law, she breaks the biggest law we have, no consorts who were or are kings."

"You would be breaking it too." One man said slyly.

"Oh?"

"After all, I am the King of the Green Lady and your consort."

Talise smiled and stood up to kiss her consort. "But you are of the tribe, Pharaoh Atem is not. I will change our tribe so that men and women are equally like it is here. We will thrive." Talise said determinedly. "And that means Lady Adaeze must die."

* * *

I'm so horrible, aren't I? But you can rant at the priests for that. Though I do promise there will be more detail in the future. ;3

As for the future that Bastet showed Anzu, that was sort of part of my thoughts that goes along the lines of, "What would our world be like if we sent all of our meds into the past? How advanced would it be in my time then?" And so on for tech matters. As I was writing this I had to remind myself that Anzu, Kisara, and Mana are at the moment, only changing the timeline with small things so being thoughtful me, I went through the many things that could happen.

As for how long this story will last, you must think, how many villians are here? There's Crazy Adaeze, Akuktata, Maut, and Nerfret not to mention someone else. Like I said, this story ain't even done yet.

Thank you for reading, thank you future reviewers, thank you, thank you, thank yous! :)

Have a nice day or night!


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